Hpn  I1P/22  Appendix E-  Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers  da  In order to accomplish their responsibilities and properly account for tax collections, collectors and receivers of taxes and assessments should, and in some cases must, comply with the following:  1.1 Maintain tax warrants, tax rolls, tax bills (statement of taxes due), and other documents relating to tax  accounts.  2. Maintain a cashbook, which chronologically identifies all receipts and disbursements.  3. Maintain official bank accounts in designated depositories.  4. Issue acceptable réceipt forms to acknowledge all moneys collected (tax bill and tax receipts are  generally one document).  5. Deposit all moneys received in a timely manner.  For Towns Only; Deposit to the appropriate bank account(s) within 24 hours of collection. 6. Make all disbursements by check except for authorized petty cash payments. in full ofa all moneys payable to him/her pursuant to the warrant have been made.  7. For Towns Only; Generally, remit tax collections to the supervisor at least once a week until payment 8. For' Towns Only: After payment to the supervisor in full of all moneys payable to him/her pursuant tot the warrant, remit additional tax collections, if any, to the county treasurer by the 15th day of the 9. Prepare a list of unpaid taxes at expiration of the warrant, and complete settlement with the county (See, generally, Town Law Section 35, pertaining to the powers and duties of collectors, and Town Law Section 37, pertaining to the powers and duties oft receivers of taxes and assessments.) An Important Initial Step in the Audit Process for Tax Collectors and Receivers  month following collection. treasurer, if applicable.  Following the tax collection period, the tax collector Or receiver is required to account for or settle up real property taxes that the collector Or receiver was responsible for collecting. The accounting is made to the county treasurer, and isi considered an important and integral part of any audit and/or oversight process. Before the town board audits the records of the tax collector or receiver, a copy of the settlement sheet should be obtained and reviewed. Ifr necessary, inquiry should be made with the county treasurer to find out ift there were any known problems or concerns with the collector's Or receiver's records Or accounting at the Note: An audit of the tax collector or receiver could be done any time after settlement with the county treasurer. Once the collector or receiver has settled with the county, there should be no further activity and the bank account balance should be: zero (unless the bank, at the time of opening the  time of settlement.  account, required a minimum amount to be held in the account).  Division' ofiL Local Government dind: School Accountability: 33  Office of thes Siate Gompfroller    Appendix E- General Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers continued  Checklist for Review of Tax Collecting Officer's Records  Settlement  YES NO D D E D YES NO B D  Isac copy of the collector's or receiver's settlement sheet available? Have all settlement issues/concerns been adequately resolved?  Bank Accounts  Ist the bank account reconciled after bank statements are received? Last Bank Reconciliation for Each Bank. Account:  TawDate Performed 14/7/22 Month Ending. 10/31/2L Note: Tax collector's bank account balance should be $0.00 at the beginning of  the collection period Cash Receipts  YES NO B D D 0 D 0 D D  Ist the cash receipts journal maintained in a manner sufficient to identify the date received, payer, tax account number, tax amount, interest amount and other  appropriate information? Are deposits identified? Are duplicate deposit slips kept?  Do deposit amounts agree with cash receipt amounts?  Are bank deposits timely or (for towns) within 24 hours of collection? NIA n 0  48  Cash Disbursements  YES NO D 0 D 0 D D YES NO  Are pre-numbered checks used for all disbursements other than petty cash? Are canceled checks or check images returned with bank statements and  Are all checks signed by the tax collector or receiver?  maintained on file? Deposit Protection  Has the bank pledged adequate, eligible securities to protect tax collector deposits B D  that exceed FDIC insurance protection, when applicable?  Officcot hes Stote Compiroller  34 Division's ofl Local Government and's School Accountability    Appendix E- General Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers continued  Financial Reporting  YES NO a 0 D 0 - D YES NO D D D D D  Are payments made at least weekly to the supervisor? Are receipt forms issued by the supervisor to acknowledge collection? Are payments made timely to the county treasurer?  Accountability  Are penalties assessed/collected on late payments?  Ist the total amount of penalties collected on overdue real property taxes comparable with that collected inj previous year(s)? Do the amounts look Ist the tax collector or receiver treating his/her own tax bills properly, e.g.,  reasonable? penalties, ifrequired?  Are interest earnings remitted to the supervisor and/or the county as appropriate? a 0 Are there significant safeguards for the protection of assets and cash, such as a safe  orl locked file cabinet, offices with locks on the door, regular deposits of cash, etc.?  (Check county resolution for guidance.)  D  Comments and Conclusions  Division of.L Local Goverriment: gnd School Accountability 35  Office of the State Comptrolle    neS hs 12/s/a  Appendix E - General Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers In order to accomplish their responsibilities and properly account for tax collections, collectors and receivers oft taxes and assessments should, and in some cases must, comply with the following:  1. Maintain tax warrants, tax rolls, tax bills (statement of taxes due), and other documents relating to tax  accounts.  2. Maintain a cashbook, which chronologically identifies all receipts and disbursements.  3. Maintain official bank accounts in designated depositories.  4. Issue acceptable réceipt forms to acknowledge all moneys collected (tax bill and tax receipts are  generally one document).  5. Deposit all moneys received in a timely manner.  For' Towns Only; Deposit to the appropriate bank account(s) within 24 hours of collection. 6. Make all disbursements by check except for authorized petty cash payments. in full of all moneys payable to him/her pursuant to the warrant have been made.  7. For Towns Only; Generally, remit tax collections to the supervisor at least once a week until payment 8. For Towns Only: After payment to the supervisor in full of all moneys payable to him/her pursuant tothe warrant, remit additional tax collections, ifa any, to the county treasurer by the 15th day of the 9. Prepare a list of unpaid taxes at expiration oft the warrant, and complete settlement with the county (See, generally, Town Law Section 35, pertaining to the powers and duties of collectors, and' Town Law Section 37, pertaining to the powers and duties oft receivers oft taxes and assessments.) An Important Initial Step in the Audit Process for Tax Collectors and Receivers  month following çollection. treasurer, ifapplicable.  Following the tax colleçtion period, the tax collector Or receiver is required to account for or settle up real property taxes that the collector or receiver was responsible for collecting. The accounting is made to the county treasurer, and isi considered an important and integral part of any audit and/or oversight process. Before the town board audits the records of the tax collector or receiver, a copy oft the settlement sheet should be obtained and reviewed. Ift necessary, inquiry should be made with the county treasurer to: find out ift there were any known problems or concerns with the collector's or receiver's records or accounting at the Note: An audit of the tax collector or receiver could be done any time after settlement with the county treasurer. Once the collector or receiver has settled with the county, there should be no further activity and the bank account balance should be zero (unless the bank, at the time of opening the  time ofs settlement.  account, required a minimum amount to be held in the account).  Division of Local Governmenf: and: School Accountability 33 Office 6f the Sioter Comptraller    Appendix E - General Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers continued  Checklist for Review of Tax Collecting Officer's Records  Settlement  YES NO D 0 D D YES NO D D  Isa copy oft the collector's or receiver's settlement sheet available? Have all settlement issues/concerns been adequately resolved?  Bank Accounts  Ist the bank account reconçiled after bank statements are received? Last Bank. Reconciliation, for Each Bank. Account: Date. Performed 122  Month Ending. 10342>  Note: Tax collector's bank account balance should be $0.00 at the beginning of  the collection period Cash Receipts  8.51  YES NO E D E D E 0 B D * YES NO E D E D D 0 YES NO  Ist the cash receipts journal maintained in a manner sufficient to identify the date received, payer, tax account number, tax amount, interest amount and other  appropriate information? Are deposits identified? Are duplicate deposit slips kept?  Do deposit amounts agree with cash receipt amounts?  Are bank deposits timely or (for towns) within 24 hours of collection?  Cash Disbursements  Are pre-numbered checks used for all disbursements other than petty cash? Are canceled checks or check images returned with bank statements and  Are all checks signed by the tax collector or receiver?  maintained on file? Deposit Protection  Has the bank pledged adequate, eligible securities to protect tax collector deposits E D  that exceed FDIC insurance protection, when applicable?  Office ofs hes Siole Comptrollen  34  Division ofL Local Government and School Accountability    Appendix E- General Recordkeeping Requirements for Tax Collecting Officers continued  Finançial Reporting  YES NO a D B D B D YES NO B 0 E D B D  Are payments made at least weekly to the supervisor? Are receipt forms issued by the supervisor to acknowledge collection? Are payments made timely to the county treasurer?  Accountability  Are penalties assessed/collected on late payments?  Isti the total amount of penalties collected on overdue real property taxes comparable with that collected inj previous year(s)? Do the amounts look Ist the tax collector or receiver treating his/her own tax bills properly, e.g.,  reasonable? penalties, ifrequired?  Are interest earnings rémitted to the supervisor and/or the county as appropriate? M D Are there significant safeguards for the protection of assets and cash, such as a safe D D or locked file cabinet, offices with locks on the door, regular deposits of cash, etc.?  (Check county resolution for guidance.)  Comments and Conclusions  Division ofl Loca! Government and School Accountability; 35  Office of thes State Comptroller