Treasurer
Know what the society can afford
A club treasurer keeps subscriptions, expenses, accounts and reserves in a form the committee understands. For an incorporated society, that record must stay dependable through the busy October to March period and beyond. Small weekly checks make AGM reporting easier, support GST work where relevant, and leave the next treasurer with proper access rather than fragments on a personal device.
The honest hours. The role usually takes one to three hours each week in season, rising during renewals and AGM preparation.
What the job actually is
Run subscription collection
Apply the committee's fees, send charges, match each receipt and follow up unpaid members from a single current list.
Handle authorised invoices
Pay affiliation, insurance, facilities, coaches and equipment costs on time, from the correct account, with records attached.
Maintain the society's books
Classify money received and spent consistently so year-end figures come together without reconstructing twelve months of transactions.
Keep officers informed
Present cash, debts due, amounts owed and the budget position in a short report before each committee discussion.
Prepare AGM accounts
Complete the annual income, spending and balance information, including any examination called for by the society's rules.
Hold an adequate buffer
Understand the reserve needed for a major repair or interrupted summer, and state the risk before spending is approved.
The year, honestly
Subscription renewal
Confirm categories and fees, issue requests, reconcile incoming payments and narrow the remaining follow-up list.
October to March
Pay costs, reconcile frequently and report while the club's busiest operating period is producing transactions.
AGM lead-up
Close the records, compile accounts, complete any required check and draft the treasurer's plain-language report.
Role change
Update bank authority, pass system permissions and explain regular dates, unusual agreements and unfinished items.
What the club is, in New Zealand
The treasurer's paperwork starts with what the club actually is. Here that usually means an incorporated society, dealt with through the Companies Office.
Registered societies now operate under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, which replaced the previous act and brought new obligations with it.
A club set up to promote an amateur game or sport may qualify for an income tax exemption, provided funds are not used for the private benefit of members. A club that does not qualify may instead claim a $1,000 deduction, and an incorporated society is taxed at the company rate.
Checked against the official guidance on 28 August 2026. Structures and reliefs change, so confirm against that page before acting.
The handover checklist
What the outgoing treasurer hands to the incoming one. Most get none of this; be the club where they do.
Access
- Bank mandate updated and old signatories removed
- Online banking access working for the incoming treasurer
- Accounting records or spreadsheets handed over with edit access
- Membership system access at treasurer level
Knowledge
- Current fee structure and any member-specific arrangements
- List of every regular payment and its renewal date
- Insurance and affiliation renewal dates and costs
- Where last year's accounts and examination live
State of play
- Cash at bank confirmed and reconciled on handover day
- List of unpaid subs and where each chase has got to
- Any debts owed by or to the club
- Reserves policy, or the honest number the committee works to
Calendar
- Renewal month tasks written down with dates
- AGM date and what the treasurer must produce for it
- Grant reporting deadlines if the club holds any
The parts software takes off your plate
Subs collection stops being a chase
Invoicing, payment tracking and reminders run from the member records, so renewal month shrinks from a term of chasing to a checking job.
How it worksThe monthly figure builds itself
Who has paid and who owes is a report, not a reconciliation session.
How it worksHandover becomes access transfer
When the records live in the club's system instead of the treasurer's laptop, the next treasurer inherits everything on day one.
How it worksQuestions
What does a New Zealand club treasurer manage?
The treasurer collects subscriptions, pays club costs, keeps the books, reports to the committee and prepares AGM accounts. They also watch the reserve position and ensure the incorporated society retains its financial records when the role changes.
What weekly time does the job need?
A mid-sized club may need one to three hours during the active season. Subscription renewal and AGM preparation are the main peaks. Routine reconciliation prevents a small weekly task turning into a large annual repair.
Is an accounting background required?
No. Care, consistency and clear communication are more important for routine club work. The society must still meet its legal and tax responsibilities, including GST where applicable, so officers should seek qualified advice for matters beyond their knowledge.