Free Toolkit
PTA & PTO Treasurer Toolkit: Duties, Monthly Checklist & Your First 30 Days
Congratulations on becoming treasurer! If you've already inherited a folder of receipts and a few questions about where the money went, this free toolkit is designed to make your job a little easier.
What does a PTA treasurer do?
The treasurer helps make sure every dollar is handled responsibly. That includes recording money coming in, making approved payments, reconciling bank and payment accounts each month, sharing reports with the board, keeping up with IRS deadlines, and preparing a clear handoff for the next volunteer. An independent reviewer should check statements every month, too.
The monthly money check
There's a lot of responsibility behind those spreadsheets, and you shouldn't have to carry it alone. Choose one monthly check-in with the president and an independent reviewer who cannot sign checks or make payments. Use statements sent directly by the bank, gather the supporting records, and work through the same process each month:
- Gather the full picture. Every bank and payment-platform statement, plus the ledger, receipts and approvals.
- Follow the money in. Match cash and checks to signed count sheets, and online payments to platform reports and payouts.
- Read the checks. Look at payees, amounts and cleared-check images. Nobody signs their own reimbursement.
- Match payments to permission. Tie each expense to the approved budget or a recorded vote.
- Review cards and withdrawals. Match card charges to receipts, and flag ATM withdrawals or cash back.
- Reconcile, then compare. Account for outstanding checks and deposits in transit, then compare actual spending with the budget.
- Close the loop. List questions, assign follow-up, sign the review and share the report with the board.
Here's the balance check you'll return to each month: bank ending balance + deposits in transit − outstanding checks, plus any other documented adjustments, should equal your adjusted ledger balance.
Six questions before you pay anything
- Is it authorized? Confirm the budget line, available funds and any required vote.
- Does it serve your mission? Use funds for your group's purpose and honor donor restrictions.
- Is the paperwork complete? Get an itemized receipt and the reason for the purchase.
- Are you paying for a service? Collect a Form W-9 first. For 2026, a 1099-NEC is generally required when service payments to one payee total $2,000 or more.
- Is it a staff gift or gift card? Check your state PTA and district rules first. They differ a lot.
- Is final approval in place? Use two independent approvals, and never let someone approve their own payment.
Which Form 990 does a PTA or PTO file?
| Form | Generally for groups with |
|---|---|
| 990-N | Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less |
| 990-EZ or 990 | Under $200,000 in receipts and under $500,000 in assets |
| 990 | $200,000 or more in receipts, or $500,000 or more in assets |
If your fiscal year ends on June 30, this is what a typical treasurer's calendar looks like:
- July: Reconcile June, arrange the year-end financial review, and transfer bank access if officers changed.
- July to August: Present the review and adopt the new budget. Texas PTA, for example, requires IRS acceptance of the annual 990 within 60 days of year-end.
- By November 16, 2026: The federal 990 deadline (the usual November 15 falls on a Sunday). Form 8868 extends a 990 or 990-EZ by six months. A 990-N can't be extended.
- By February 1, 2027: 2026 Forms 1099-NEC are due to the IRS and to recipients.
- Spring: Draft next year's budget, schedule elections and set the transition meeting.
- June: Deposit promptly, gather receipts, and document anything outstanding at year-end.
Put the Form 990 deadline somewhere the whole board can see it. Three consecutive missed annual filings can lead to automatic revocation of your group's tax-exempt status. Our PTO budget breakdown can also help when you're ready to plan next year's spending.
Your first 30 days as treasurer
- Week 1, gather the essentials: ledger, reconciliations, checkbook, receipts, budget, EIN, bylaws, tax-status documents and recent returns.
- Week 2, update access: remove departing signers and platform users, turn on multifactor authentication, and cancel or reissue cards.
- Week 3, confirm your standing: check IRS filings using your EIN, confirm group-exemption coverage with your state PTA, and file Form 8822-B within 60 days if the responsible party changes.
- Week 4, make it a routine: name the monthly reviewer, schedule reports, and adopt a payment-app and card policy.
The cash count sheet and reimbursement form
There are two forms you'll probably reach for more often than you expect! The cash count sheet has room for denominations, the starting float, and signatures from two counters. Deposit the full count, including the float, and pay expenses through your normal approval process. The reimbursement form collects itemized receipts, the budget line, and two approvals from people other than the requester. Print copies before your next event.
A little peek inside the kit
- A monthly money check for the treasurer and reviewer
- Six questions to ask before you pay
- A filing and reporting calendar
- A first-30-days plan and handoff balance sign-off
- A printable cash count sheet
- A printable reimbursement request form
- A payment-app and group card policy starter
- Real-world lessons and safeguards, with every source linked
Ready to put it to use?
- Arrange the outgoing treasurer's handoff.
- Pick a monthly review date with your president and reviewer.
- Print the count sheet and reimbursement form for your next event.
Apex · Free resource
Treasurer Toolkit
Put the resource to work.
Use it as a starting point and adapt it to your school.
Enter your email and school details to request your copy. Free for PTA and PTO leaders, with or without an Apex program.
Treasurer questions from PTA and PTO leaders
Can a PTA use Venmo?
Check your state PTA's rules before choosing a payment app. New York and New Jersey PTA guidance advises against Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App, while Texas PTA requires members to authorize and adopt payment policies annually. A business account alone doesn't mean an app is allowed.
Does a PTA have to file 1099s?
Often, yes. For the 2026 tax year, a PTA or PTO generally needs Form 1099-NEC when payments to a service provider reach $2,000 during the calendar year. Many corporations are exempt, although attorneys are an exception. Credit-card and certain payment-app transactions are generally handled through Form 1099-K instead.
What happens if a PTA doesn't file its 990?
Missing the annual filing is more serious than it may seem. After three consecutive missed returns or notices, the IRS automatically revokes a group's tax-exempt status. Reinstatement requires a separate process, so it's well worth keeping that deadline on your shared calendar.
Sources, checked September 28, 2026: National PTA, Financial Best Practices; California State PTA, Bank Statements; IRS, 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC Instructions; IRS, Form 1099-K; IRS, Which Form 990; IRS, Return Due Date; IRS, Revocation and Reinstatement; IRS, Responsible Parties; Texas PTA, Affiliation Standards; New York State PTA, Cash Apps; New Jersey PTA, Venmo Guidance. General information, not tax advice.
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