audit accounts in france.URGENT

[chirpy]

PLEASE CAN YOU advise today as I am having some problems at 72years  for volunteering to do the treasurer job for 15moonths.

I resigned last month and  I have been told the following.

1.ACCOUNTS should be returned immediately according to French law.

2.Accouts do not need to be audited prior to handover according to French law.

 

[Russethouse]

What sort of organisation was it ? It may help others give advice...

[chirpy]

It is a garden club which meets monthly with speaakers and visits to gardens ofmembers or public ones

The members pay annual suscription fee of 15euro and club assets under 2500euro in bank .

 

[Russethouse]

 Is it registered under a certain 'covention'  or regulation ?

If so is it possible to look up the conditions on line ?

Hopefully someone with an accounting background will be along soon! 

[Pickles]

[quote user="Ab"]1.ACCOUNTS should be returned immediately according to French law.

2. Accounts do not need to be audited prior to handover according to French law.[/quote]

I'm not sure where your problem lies; all that you are being asked to do is in effect to hand over all the accounting documentation that you have to either your successor or (in their absence) the president or vice-president of the association.

Regards

Pickles

[chirpy]

I WANTED to know if the 2 statements  above were correct as I  delayed things until audit done and presented to the members...they say this is not necessary...only at year end in December

Meanwhile President threatening me with going to prefecture ...so I only wanted to know what the FRENCH LAW STATED.THINGS .

Sorry do not mean to shout ..computers not my scene.

[Benjamin]

[quote user="Ab"]

 I only wanted to know what the FRENCH LAW STATED.THINGS .

[/quote]

So consult a French lawyer.  [6]

Seriously, if you're that bothered and clearly you are then ask for this request and conditions to be put in writting.

You'll hardly go to the guilitine.

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Ab"]

I WANTED to know if the 2 statements  above were correct as I  delayed things until audit done and presented to the members...they say this is not necessary...only at year end in December

Meanwhile President threatening me with going to prefecture ...so I only wanted to know what the FRENCH LAW STATED.THINGS .

Sorry do not mean to shout ..computers not my scene.

[/quote]

 Frankly I'd be tempted to give the whole lot to the President and let them sort it out I guess you are a volunteer - whats the worst that can happen ?....but with a more sensible 'head' on  I'd ask what law they are referring to...the not for profit  I am a member of  in the US is registered under a certain section of  IRS rules and my guess is there are probably regulations that state what is required for French 'not for profits' too.

 Just ask the President where you can find a copy of the rules and /or bylaws of the Club, if you have any. If he wants you to abide by the rules the least he can do is give you the information

[Chancer]

[quote user="Russethouse"][quote user="Ab"]

[/quote]

 Frankly I'd be tempted to give the whole lot to the President and let them sort it out [/quote]

That is exactly what they are asking you to do, you have resigned so why do you not want to hand over the books?

[Russethouse]

 I can understand AB wanting to have the books checked if he is handing over mid term or 6 months after the last audit - its to protect himself/herself against being accused of getting anything wrong.

If the accounts are on line AB would have a record if not perhaps copying the accounts before handing them over and  'balancing' would be wise

[allanb]

Non-profit associations in France are governed by a law of 1901, which does have requirements about annual financial reports, but as far as I know doesn't contain anything about procedure on handing over to another treasurer.

When you became treasurer, did your predecessor provide you with any kind of financial statement?  If he did, and you can provide a list of receipts and payments since the date you took over, together with a statement of all the assets and

liabilities you are aware of at the date of your resignation, you should have nothing to worry about.  Hand it all over to your successor (or the President) together with any

relevant documents you have, the most important being bank statements.

Then relax.  Gardening clubs are not high on the list of targets for investigation.

Unless your gardening club was actually a hedge fund?  (Pun) 

[Tony F Dordogne]

I've just taken over as Treasurer for something similar.  The books were all made up to date, income and expenditure accounts, petty cash etc, hard cash in hand, all reconciled, all on disk and in paper form.  I met with the outgoing treasurer for a hand over of the books and it went through swimmingly and we're a 1901 small organisation, no membership fees tho (commune funded) and with assets of under €5000.

I can't see what the problem is here, when I took over as Treasurer of something with membership fees, I just went to the bank with the outgoing Treasurer to have my name added to the account, made sure the books were up to date and then handed over to my successor in a similar manner.

For an organisation of your size there is no need for an independant audit, just make the books up, sort out your cash balances and hand everything over to your successor or the president.