QUESTION:
I read in
Money Matters that PTA treasurer should retain copies of all checks that they
deposit. These checks often have a lot
of personal information on them name, address, license number and bank account
numbers. Isn’t there a risk that this
information will fall into the wrong hand and be used inappropriately?
ANSWER:
We realized
after publishing Money Matters that our advice on this issue was
incomplete. Keeping the checks for a
while gives an accountability trail in case someone claims to have paid but
there’s no record of payment. It also is
a way of reconciling receipts and deposits.
Most of the personal information (names, addresses, etc.) are also in
the membership records and for many people also in other public records such as
the phone book. The exception of course
is individual’s check routing and account numbers that are printed on the lower
part of the check. We recommend that
either (1) the checks be copied in a way that obscures those numbers or (2) the
numbers be marked out. Once the
financial review for the year has been concluded the copies should be
destroyed. We will include this advice
in future editions of Money Matters.
Finally, of course all PTA records containing personal information
should be handled carefully so as not to be subject to inappropriate
disclosure.
