Understand pass-through club affiliation fees, distinguish them from club income and reconcile collections to remittances.
Some clubs collect a governing-body or affiliate charge with their own dues. The important distinction is that collected money may be owed onward, not retained as club income. Document the rules and reconcile it separately.
Updated 2026-10-02 Member Link editorial team
Write down who sets the fee, who is liable for it, which members are in scope, when it changes and when it must be remitted. Keep the club's own membership charge separate in the budget and the member-facing breakdown.
Do not describe an amount as a pass-through unless the governing body's agreement and the club's accounting treatment support that description. Rules can differ by sport, region, member category and season.
Suppose a club collects a club fee of 80 currency units and a governing-body charge of 12 from each of 25 eligible members. The gross collection is 2,300; the club's fee component is 2,000 and the amount to reconcile for remittance is 300, before any agreed adjustments or payment costs. This is an arithmetic example only, not a recommended rate.
At close, reconcile the eligible-member list, receipts, refunds, late joins, exemptions and amount transferred. Record the remittance date, reference and recipient confirmation. Do not calculate dues from a stale headcount.
Have one person maintain the membership eligibility source and another review the remittance calculation where the club has enough volunteers. Record the approved rate and effective date, and retain the source notice from the governing body.
When a member joins mid-cycle or changes category, record whether the fee is prorated or charged in full. If that policy is unclear, ask the governing body before collecting; do not fill the gap with an assumption.
A member system can help retain invoices and payment statuses, but an automated total is only useful when plan mappings, eligibility and exceptions are accurate. Export the underlying member/invoice lines used in each remittance and compare the report total with the transfer.
Member Link supports membership records, invoices and affiliate-fee/remittance workflows in its product; confirm the precise configuration and reports with your organisation before adopting it. Product support does not replace the club's accounting review.
Not necessarily. If the club collects it for onward remittance, account for it separately in line with the governing body's terms and the club's accounting advice.
Follow the governing body's due dates and the club's finance controls. Reconcile regularly enough to catch missed members and mismatched receipts before a remittance deadline.
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