4 FAH-2 H-300
PROCESSING DEPOSITS AND DEBIT VOUCHERS
4 FAH-2 H-310
PROCESSING DEPOSITS AND DEBIT VOUCHERS
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
(Office of Origin: CGFS/FPRA/FP)
4 FAH-2 H-311 INTRODUCTION
(TL:DOH-1; 06-13-2001)
This subchapter prescribes the procedures for processing
deposits to the account of the U.S. Treasury and other related matters.
4 FAH-2 H-312 DEPOSITS OF U.S. DOLLAR
CHECKS
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
The guidance in this section applies to U.S. dollar checks
that are not processed at post through Over the
Counter Channel (OTCnet). Procedures for OTCnet
are contained in 4 FAH-2 H-316.
OTCnet is the preferred method for processing
U.S. dollar checks received at posts.
4 FAH-2 H-312.1 Review of Checks
Received at CGFS Charleston and Bangkok
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
a. The Bureau of
the Comptroller and Global Financial
Services (CGFS) Charleston and Bangkok receive checks from the post cashiers
with a transmittal form and an adding machine tape to assist in verification of
the deposit. The checks must be properly controlled from the time of receipt
at CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok to the time of deposit at the bank. The
U.S. disbursing officer (USDO) ensures that when checks are delivered to CGFS
Charleston or CGFS Bangkok, they are recorded in a log and signed by the person
receiving the checks.
b. All checks are examined by USDOs to ensure that the
following criteria are met. Checks that do not meet the following criteria are
returned to the post for corrective action:
(1) Not stale dated;
(2) Written in U.S. dollars;
(3) Written in English;
(4) Signed;
(5) Encoded with the American Bankers Association (ABA) routing and transmittal number (for checks
on banks located in the U.S. only); and
(6) Stamped with the cashiers endorsement.
c. Checks processed by CGFS using OTCnet are stamped void and maintained at CGFS
for one month and then destroyed.
4 FAH-2 H-312.2 Control of Deposit
Tickets (Form SF-215)
(CT:DOH-19; 10-19-2005)
a. Deposit tickets must be distributed by the USDO or
his or her designee. For posts that make their own deposits into an
international Treasury general account (ITGA), deposit tickets are distributed
to them by the USDO and recorded as having been issued to that post.
b. Blocks 2, 3, 4, and 5 and memorandum copy of the
deposit ticket must be typed or printed clearly. The unique six digit
preprinted number must not be altered and must be entered only once in the
financial management system exactly as printed.
c. After a deposit is entered into the financial
management system, any future adjustments must be made by another deposit
ticket (increasing the amount of the original deposit), debit voucher
(decreasing the amount of the original deposit), or journal voucher (change of
any other data affecting the deposit).
4 FAH-2 H-312.3 Making U.S. Dollar
Deposits
(CT:DOH-30; 07-19-2013)
a. Global U.S. dollar depositsCGFS Charleston and CGFS
Bangkok consolidate the deposit transmittals received from the cashiers at
their serviced posts on one deposit ticket and each center submits a single,
consolidated deposit to the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) or designated depository
every day checks are received. The consolidation of the deposits to one deposit
ticket will expedite the reconciliation of the Treasury account. CGFS
Charleston and CGFS Bangkok must record what checks are included in each global
deposit, by cashier. This will help expedite identifying which part of a
deposit does not agree with Treasury records if differences occur later.
b. Posts that deposit U.S. dollar checks into an
approved ITGA must forward the confirmed copy of the Form SF-215, Deposit
Ticket, to the appropriate USDO for processing into the financial management
system. CGFS Charleston and CGFS Bangkok are responsible for ordering and
preparing their Form SF-215 deposit tickets (see Cashier User Guide (CUG)
Chapter 7).
4 FAH-2 H-312.4 Where to Make U.S.
Dollar Check Deposits
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
a. U.S. dollar checks drawn on banks located in the United States are deposited with the covering Form SF-215 to a Treasury general account
(ITGA if overseas) for transmittal to the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB).
b. U.S. dollar checks drawn on foreign banks and
foreign branches of U.S. banks are transmitted with the covering Form SF-215 to
Bank of America, Foreign Check Clearing,
TX-1-160-05-31, 1950 North Stemmons Fwy, Suite 5049, Dallas, TX 75207. Bank of
America charges a fee to Treasury to process U.S. dollar checks drawn on
foreign banks.
4 FAH-2 H-313 DEPOSITS OF LOCAL
CURRENCY CHECKS
(CT:DOH-30; 07-19-2013)
a. Local currency checks drawn on foreign banks are
usually deposited by the cashier with the locally designated depository. The
deposit is entered into the system at the post. The post cashier retains the
bank deposit slip unless the banking specialist or the cashier monitor requests
that it be sent to CGFS.
b. The local currency deposit is verified by CGFS
Charleston or CGFS Bangkok upon receipt of the bank statement and completion of
the monthly bank account reconciliation.
4 FAH-2 H-314 MAKING DEPOSITS OF CASH
(CT:DOH-30; 07-19-2013)
a. When the post collections and receipts exceed the
amount of cash needed to make advances and disbursements, the post cashier must
deposit the excess cash.
b. Excess U.S. dollar cash will be exchanged for a U.S.
dollar check and forwarded to CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok for deposit.
Under certain conditions, the USDO may authorize a cashier to sell the U.S.
dollar cash for local currency (see procedures in 4 FAH-2 H-513,
paragraph b).
c. Excess local currency will be deposited with the
local designated depository and entered into the accounting system at the post
or CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok. The local currency deposit is verified by
CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok upon receipt of the bank statement and
completion of the monthly bank account reconciliation. The post cashier
retains the bank deposit slip unless requested by the CGFS Charleston or CGFS
Bangkok cashier monitor.
4 FAH-2 H-315 FREQUENCY OF DEPOSITS
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
a. The USDO should make dollar check deposits once
daily for each agency location code (ALC). To ensure that the maximum amount
of funds is deposited each day, the depositor establishes a processing schedule
to allow the deposits to reach the depository before the depositorys daily
cutoff time.
b. The post cashiers makes only one local currency
deposit each day and enters the deposit into the financial management system.
c. Where possible, the USDO should arrange with the
bank to be notified immediately of any deposits (excluding normal check
processing) of currency purchases or other large transactions. Any large local
currency cash deposits made by the cashier (more than several days worth of
disbursements) should be reported to the USDO immediately. The USDO should
also check internal records daily to determine if any large deposits were
made. For example, at CGFS Charleston and CGFS Bangkok, vouchering and reconciliation employees should
check the deposit tickets they receive to make sure they are not more than one
day old. Alternatively, the USDO should call the banks to determine if
currency purchases have been deposited.
4 FAH-2 H-316 Over the counter channel (OTCnet)
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
Instead of sending U.S. dollar checks to CGFS Charleston
or Bangkok for deposit as described in 4 FAH-2 H-312,
posts can now use Over the Counter Channel
(OTCnet) to process these checks. CGFS Charleston and Bangkok also use
OTCnet to process checks they receive.
(1) The purpose of the OTCnet
is to convert paper checks into electronic funds transfer (EFT) debit
transactions. The OTCnet software program
is used to convert a check into an electronic transaction when the check imager
reads the bank account information from the bottom of the check and stores an
electronic image of the check. The bank account information is then compared
against a database to verify that the account is in good standing. If the
account is approved, the cashier stamps the check Void Processed
Electronically and returns it to the customer.
(2) The cashier keys in additional data that was not
collected when the check was scanned, i.e., amount of transaction, social
security number (SSN), etc. At the end of the day the cashier will submit the
file electronically to the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) in Cleveland.
(3) The FRB will present the check to the customers
bank and generate one Form SF-215 global deposit ticket for each ALC. The
detail for each deposit ticket will include the amount of that days deposit
and the cashier code for each post using the OTCnet
software. Questions concerning this program should be addressed to the
Office of Oversight and Management Analysis Directorate (CGFS/OMA).
4 FAH-2 H-317 DEPOSIT TICKETS FOR
CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD COLLECTIONS
(CT:DOH-38; 07-10-2018)
a. Some posts collect consular fees by credit and debit
card. Point-of-sale terminals have been placed in the consular section to make
these collections. At the end of each day the consular cashier will forward to
the Class B Cashier a machine-generated hard copy receipt for the fees
collected that day. From this receipt the Class B Cashier prepares Form OF-158,
General Receipt, and deposit transmittal, which, when entered into the
automated cashiering system respectively increases and decreases the cashiers
accountability.
b. The servicing bank processes consular receipts
collected by credit and debit card and reports these deposits in U.S. dollars
to the Treasury for credit to the USDO. The bank enters the cashier code and
date of collection on Form SF-215, Deposit Ticket, and forwards a copy to CGFS
Charleston or CGFS Bangkok. CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok enters the deposit
into the system, crediting the cashier (decreasing the cashiers
accountability), using the deposit ticket number as the voucher number, and
reporting the Julian date of the collection as the transmittal letter number.
The Julian date (1-365) is the date the deposit was recorded by the USDO
(usually the next business day after the deposit by the servicing bank).
c. The cashier reconciles his or her accountability by
matching the cashier collection with the deposit recorded on the cashier
activity report based on amount and date. The servicing bank procedures allow
only one deposit per day per post so the Julian date aids the post cashier in
matching the correct deposit with the correct day. The USDO reconciles the
Treasury Statement of Differences by matching the amount and the deposit ticket
number.
d. Credit card chargebacks are transactions which
reverse payments. The card issuing bank notifies the servicing bank of an item
(charge) that is being challenged. The servicing bank notifies CGFS
Charleston or CGFS Bangkok via fax requesting additional information (i.e.,
signed receipt). This fax notification is immediately sent to the appropriate
cashier because there is a short window for the requested information to be
sent back to the servicing bank. If the post cannot provide, or does not have
enough information to support the charge, the servicing bank notifies the card
issuing bank. A credit is given to the customer, and a debit voucher
(chargeback) is created for the appropriate agency location code (ALC). The
debit vouchers are mailed to CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok, who enters them
into the financial management system, creating a debit to the appropriate
cashier. CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok immediately prepares a telegram
notifying the post cashier of the chargeback and mails a copy of the telegram
and any other information pertaining to the chargeback to post. It is then the
responsibility of the cashier to clear the chargeback.
e. Procedures have also been developed for collecting
cash for purposes other than consular fees (i.e., telephone and utility
bills). This program is described in more detail in 4 FAH-2
H-612.1, paragraph d, and the Cashier User Guide (CUG). Detailed
instructions for all credit card programs are on file at CGFS.
4 FAH-2 H-318 DEBIT VOUCHERS (DV) AND
UNCOLLECTIBLE CHECKS
(CT:DOH-30; 07-19-2013)
a. A debit voucher (DV) (Form SF-5515) is prepared by
the depositary to reduce a Deposit Ticket for the ALC in cases such as a check
being lost or returned unpaid. The DV should have a supporting explanation
and/or a returned check attached. For detailed instructions on the DV, refer
to 1 TFM Part 5, Chapter 5000, and the Cashier User Guide (CUG) Chapter 9.
Upon receiving a DV, the agency should adjust its account and immediately
proceed to collect the amount as though no check had been received.
b. Debit vouchers are also issued to debit the
disbursing officers accounts for electronic funds transfers (Fedline EFT).
These debit vouchers are used to reconcile Fedline transactions which appear as
negative deposits on Form SF-1218, Statement of Accountability (Foreign Service
Account). Although the DV numbers are not entered into the financial
management system (they are received after the transaction has been completed),
they are used by Treasury. The amount on the DV is matched with the amount
entered by CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok to reconcile the ACDC 70 Report with
Treasurys Statement of Difference.
c. Debit Vouchers Received for Uncollectible Checks.
(1) Uncollectible checks received for accommodation
exchange.
(a) When an accommodation check is returned by a bank to
CGFS, CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok processes a debit voucher, which
increases the post cashiers accountability by the amount of the returned
check.
(b) CGFS Charleston or CGFS Bangkok forwards the
returned check to the cashier and advises the cashier to request restitution
for the uncollectible check, in accordance with CUG, Chapter 9.
(2) Uncollectible checks received for refunds or other
non-accommodation exchange collections.
(a) The USDO increases the cashiers accountability and
enters the amount in the cashiers database.
(b) The USDO sends a cable to the cashier notifying them
of the bad check and mails the debit voucher to the cashier.
(c) The USDO requests that the financial management
officer (FMO) determine the original receipts fiscal data and voucher the
amount of the bounced check to that fiscal data to offset the cashiers on-hand
debit voucher (decreases cashiers accountability).
(3) The USDO must review all documents sent by the
cashier or FMO concerning the collection efforts made to recover the bad check.
(a) If the USDO agrees that all reasonable attempts for
collection have been made, the USDO will adjust its account and immediately
proceed to collect the amount as though no check had been received (for
accommodation exchange) to the Treasury gain and loss account 20Y6763.
NOTE: Y represents the
fiscal year. Before using the 20Y6763 for prior years, provide the Office of
Global Disbursing Operations (CGFS/DO) a copy of the proposed journal voucher
and reason for using a prior year appropriation.
(b) Once the USDO receives the package from the cashier
and determines the account should be adjusted, the transaction must be
processed within 30 days of receiving the package from the cashier.
(c) If the cashier accountability was increased and not
yet decreased, the USDO will decrease the cashier accountability and
immediately proceed to collect the amount as though no check had been received.
(d) If the USDO agrees that the cashier has made all
reasonable attempts to collect the debt but wants to continue collection
efforts at the USDO level, he or she should clear the cashier or post
accountability by transferring the loss to their own accountability. If the
USDO is still unable to collect the debt after six months from the date of the
original debit voucher, the USDO must clear his or her accountability using the
Treasury gain and loss account 20Y6763.
(4) When the USDO adjusts their account, he or she must
send the complete package to CGFS/OMA, attention Office of Oversight and
Management Analysis Directorate, within 10 days. Once received, CGFS/OMA will
make distribution as follows:
(a) If the checks issued by one drawer are $2,500 or
less, CGFS/OMA will forward the checks and supporting documentation to CGFSs
Accounts Receivable office (CGFS/F/RR). CGFS/F/RR will take any additional
actions as required by debt collection regulations (see 4 FAM 490).
(b) If the checks issued by one drawer total more than
$2,500, CGFS/OMA will forward the checks and supporting documentation to the
Office of Investigations (OIG/INV) for possible investigation. If OIG/INV
decides not to prosecute, OIG/INV will return the checks and supporting
documentation to CGFS/OMA, who will forward them to CGFS/F/RR.
(c) If the USDO or post cashier makes a collection for
which the cashiers accountability has already been adjusted, the funds will be
credited to 19 3220, General Fund Proprietary Receipts, Not Otherwise
Classified.
(5) Each month a list of all outstanding debit
vouchers over 120 days old and not adjusted by the USDO should be forwarded to
CGFS/DO. This list should include the debit voucher number, amount, date, and
current status (i.e., how many attempts at recovery have been made, responses
from drawer, etc.)
4 FAH-2 H-319 UNASSIGNED