Financial Management
Financial reporting, budgeting, dues collection, and accounting guides for HOA treasurers and boards.
20 articles
HOA Budgeting Software: 5 Tools for Boards & Associations (2026)
Most self-managed boards budget in a spreadsheet until the first painful year-end reconciliation. Here are the five realistic tooling options, what ea...
How Much Does an HOA Reserve Study Cost? (2026 Prices)
Most HOAs pay $1,200–$6,000 for a professional reserve study — but the same community can pay 3x more or less depending on the study level it buys. He...
Underfunded HOA Reserves: A 5-Step Recovery Plan for Boards
Association Reserves' database of 100,000+ studies says 74 percent of communities are underfunded — so the path out is well worn. Here's the quantifie...
HOA Loan vs. Special Assessment: How Boards Should Decide
A $500,000 roof costs $5,000 per door as a special assessment, about $7,280 per door through a 10-year loan at 8 percent, and $6,140 through the hybri...
Investing HOA Reserve Funds: What's Allowed and What Isn't
The average bank savings account pays 0.38 percent while insured accounts and short Treasuries pay around 4 — on a $210,000 reserve balance, that's $7...
HOA Operating Fund vs. Reserve Fund: Which Pays for What?
Is a $9,000 partial roof repair operating or reserve? Here are 50 real HOA expenses sorted into the right fund, the edge cases boards actually fight a...
Percent Funded, Explained: What Your HOA's Number Means
Percent funded is the closest thing HOA reserves have to a credit score — but most boards can't say what the denominator means. Here's the formula, a ...
Straight-Line vs. Cash-Flow Reserve Funding
Run the same three-component HOA through both reserve funding methods and the cash-flow number comes out 24 percent lower — but the fund hits $0 twice...
HOA Dues Collection: 9 Best Practices to Cut Delinquency
Late and unpaid dues are the number one financial problem for HOAs. These nine strategies — from autopay enrollment to structured escalation — help bo...
HOA Tax Filing Guide: Form 1120-H vs 1120 Explained [2026]
Most HOA boards don't realize they have a choice in how they file taxes. The Form 1120-H election can save your association thousands — but only if yo...
HOA Reserve Study: What It Costs, Who Needs One, and How to Read It
A reserve study is the single most important financial document your HOA will ever commission. It tells you exactly how much money you need to save ea...
HOA Financial Audit: Requirements, Cost, and When You Need One
Is your HOA required to get an annual audit? The answer depends on your state, governing documents, and community size. Here's what every board needs ...
HOA Software Pricing: What It Really Costs [2026]
HOA software pricing is confusing by design. Per-unit fees, minimum monthly charges, add-on modules, and transaction fees make it hard to compare plat...
HOA Reserve Fund Guide: How Much Should Your Community Save?
Running out of reserves forces special assessments that blindside homeowners and tank board credibility. This guide covers how much to save, how reser...
HOA Special Assessment Guide: When, Why, and How to Levy One
Special assessments are one of the most stressful events in HOA life — for the board that levies them and the homeowners who pay them. This guide cove...
HOA Landscaping Management: Budgets, Contracts, and Plans
Landscaping is almost certainly your HOA's largest operating expense. For most communities, it eats 30% to 50% of the annual budget — more than insura...
HOA Common Area Maintenance: Plan & Budget Guide
A board member in a 90-home community in Reno told me they spent $47,000 replacing a clubhouse HVAC system that failed in July. Their maintenance reco...
HOA Budget Planning Guide 2026: 5 Steps + Free Template
Your HOA budget is the single most important financial document your board produces each year. A well-crafted budget prevents special assessments, mai...
HOA Financial Reports: 5 Reports Every Board Needs [2026]
Financial transparency is one of the most common sources of homeowner trust — or distrust. This guide covers the reports every HOA board should produc...
How to Collect HOA Dues Online [5-Step Setup]
Switching from paper checks to online dues collection is the single highest-impact improvement most HOA boards can make. Here is exactly how to set it...
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