Purpose and Responsibilities of the Treasurer

Every PTA needs a treasurer to manage and supervise all of the financial aspects of a PTA. A treasurer has a broad range of responsibilities including:

Supporting PTA volunteers and members
- Assisting with planning for programs and other PTA activities
- Reporting and providing timely financial information to the PTA
Managing PTA volunteers (e.g., chairing a finance, budget and/or fundraising committee if required by the bylaws)
Tracking and recording all financial transactions
- Membership dues
- Donations
- Receipts
- Disbursements
Keeping the PTA compliant with rules and regulations
- Reporting to government agencies
- Reporting to state PTA (through local channels)
Custodian of PTA funds as elected by the members

PTA bylaws contain some of the specific responsibilities of a treasurer, and other responsibilities are specified in district or state PTA procedure manuals and brochures. National PTA provides this Quick Reference Guide to complement local, district and state materials.

Traits of an Ideal Treasurer:

Excellent Integrity
Excellent communication skills
Detail-oriented
Strong organizational skills
A background in accounting practices and procedures
Knowledge of volunteer and nonprofit financial management
In-depth knowledge of PTA and its mission and objectives

Your Initial Tasks as Treasurer Include:

Making sure the proper Form 990 has been filed for the previous year and the PTA is in good standing with the IRS and other government authorities.
Making sure that the books have been audited for the previous year before accepting them.
Ensuring the proper and complete transition of files and records, including the permanent records from the retiring treasurer. Ask about missing records at once.
Becoming familiar with the duties outlined and any references to finances and budget in the PTA bylaws.
Working with the outgoing treasurer to secure the signatures of new officers authorized to sign checks, and filing the signature cards with the bank.
Checking on bonding and liability procedures.
Studying this Quick Reference Guide and relevant areas of IRS.gov.