The treasurer of a political committee registered with the Federal Election Commission is legally responsible for that committee's compliance with the federal campaign finance laws. The Commission has developed this page to help treasurers fulfill that responsibility.
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As you'll see, this page not only provides links to an array of helpful publications, online presentations and other pages, it also offers timely tips and reminders to help treasurers meet their obligations under the law. As an added feature, you can subscribe to receive automatic notification of updates to this page via RSS. We also invite you to ask questions, provide feedback and offer your own compliance tips by e-mail to info@fec.gov.
In addition to these online resources, the FEC staffs a toll-free information hotline (800-424-9530), and offers periodic educational workshops for treasurers. Please visit our Outreach page for details, and sign-up to receive program updates by e-mail at Conferences@fec.gov.
This section offers helpful tips -- both from the FEC and from your fellow treasurers -- to help you meet your obligations under the federal campaign finance law. To suggest a tip, please e-mail us at info@fec.gov. Click here to receive the tips as an RSS feed.
| January 12, 2009 | New Limits Coming Soon. Certain contribution limits are indexed for inflation each election cycle. The Commission expects to receive by the end of January the cost of living data necessary to adjust the limits for the 2009-10 election cycle. As soon as that information becomes available, we will post the new limits on our website and will publish them in the Federal Register and in our monthly Record newsletter and other publications. |
| January 5, 2009 | 2009 Reporting Dates Are Now Available. The Commission has posted on its web site the 2009 reporting schedules for candidates, parties and PACs. Grab your new calendar and make a note of the due dates! |
| December 30, 2008 | Give Yourself the Gift of Education. The FEC periodically offers training conferences to help committees learn about the campaign finance law. The dates for the 2009 conferences have been posted at http://www.fec.gov/info/outreach.shtml#conferences. Over the years, these sessions have often sold out quickly. So don’t get left out in the cold this winter, sign up for our e-mail list to be notified when registration begins for any of these conferences. To subscribe, simply click here. You'll be among the first to know when a training opportunity becomes available. |
| December 22, 2008 | Donations to the Inaugural Committee. The law and FEC regulations permit donations (except from foreign nationals) to the inaugural committee. The inaugural committee must file a report on FEC Form 13 [Instructions] no later than 90 days after the Inauguration. On this report, the committee discloses the full names and addresses of each person or entity that donates $200 or more in the aggregate to the committee. See 11 CFR 104.21. |
| December 15, 2008 | Here's Your Chance to Have a Say in FEC Procedures and Policies. The Commission will hold a broad ranging public hearing on January 14, 2009 to obtain public comment on how the Commission might improve transparency, fairness and efficiency in the way it processes, applies and enforces the laws over which it has jurisdiction and the regulations it has adopted. The scope of the public hearing will encompass an evaluation of the Commission’s compliance and enforcement process, including audits, matters under review, reports analysis, administrative fines and alternative dispute resolution, as well as other policies, practices and procedures, such as policy statements, advisory opinions and the Commission’s education and information programs. Written comments and requests to testify at the January 14, 2009, public hearing are due Friday, January 5 and may be submitted by e-mail to agencypro2008@fec.gov. Click here for more information about the hearing and for detailed instructions on how to submit written comments. |
For more, visit our Timely Tips Archive.
This section provides links to publications designed specifically for committee treasurers. Additional publications are available in the FEC Library, through our Quick Answers pages and on our Publications page.
Monthly Newsletter
All committee treasurers automatically receive a free subscription to the FEC's monthly newsletter, the Record. Reading the Record each month is one of the best ways to stay current on the law and your obligations as a treasurer. Every issue of the Record from 1996 - present is available online. To subscribe to the Record, send an e-mail with your name and address to info@fec.gov.
Campaign Guides
Campaign Guides are compliance manuals for committees registered with the FEC. The guide supplements summarize relevant post-publication rules and opinions.
- Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees (April 2008) [PDF]
- Candidate Guide Supplement (January 2009) [PDF]
- Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations (January 2007) [PDF]
- Corporate Guide Supplement (January 2009) [PDF]
- Campaign Guide for Nonconnected Committees (May 2008) [PDF]
- Nonconnected Guide Supplement (January 2009) [PDF]
- Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees (August 2007) [PDF]
- Party Guide Supplement (January 2009) [PDF]
- 2008 Coordinated Party Expenditure (441a(d)) Limits [PDF]
- 2008 FEA Periods
Brochures and Handouts
Brochure Title Advisory Opinions Alternative Dispute Resolution Program Candidate Registration Committee Treasurers Compliance with Laws Outside the FEC's Jurisdiction HTML Contributions Federal and State Campaign Finance Laws Filing a Complaint Foreign Nationals Independent and Coordinated Expenditures Internet Communications and Activity Local Party Activity NEW! Retiring Campaign Debt Special Notices on Political Ads and Solicitations Separate Segregated Funds and Nonconnected PACs Volunteer Activity NEW! Winding Down Your Federal Campaign Other
- Guideline for Presentation in Good Order (2008) (for Presidential campaigns seeking public funding) [PDF] [Word] [Appendices]
This section supplements the reporting and filing information contained in the publications listed above with links to additional information. Treasurers may also seek reporting and filing assistance from the Campaign Finance Analyst who reviews the committee's reports. To reach the Reports Analysis Division, call 1-800-424-9530 (press 5).