This information outlines the basic requirements for campaign finance law compliance. Note that this is not legal advice—candidates and their treasurers should consult official documentation from the FEC and legal counsel.
Every political committee must designate a treasurer before it can accept contributions or make expenditures. A campaign treasurer is responsible for the financial health and compliance of a political campaign.
Appointing a treasurer - FEC.gov
Federal Election Laws require all registered federal candidate committees to disclose the money they raise and spend. These "receipts" and "disbursements" are reported quarterly.
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Missing an FEC filing deadline can result in fines and penalties. The FEC’s Administrative Fines Program assesses penalties based on the length of delay and the amount of financial activity not reported on time. Timely compliance is essential to avoid financial repercussions. For a detailed breakdown of how fines are calculated visit the Federal Election Committee Calculating Administrative Fines page.
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Campaign Treasurers must submit financial reports quarterly, through the Federal Election Commission, on the following dates: January 31st, April 15th, July 15th, October 15th. It is critical to keep excellent records of financial contributions and disbursements as this information is required on each report.
For financial reporting, treasurers will need to file an FEC Form 3. For assistance with the Form 3, visit the **Registration and Filing Forms Overview** and see the additional video resources below.
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The law provides no exceptions for reporting contribution information, regardless of the size of the contribution. For more information about Contributions, Expenditures, Reports, and Limits visit General Financial Compliance.
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Federal Candidates may not accept financial contributions of more than $3,500 per election from an individual donor.
https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/policy-guidance/candgui.pdf