At ISPolitical, we build in tools to make it as rare as possible to get a Request for Additional Information (RFAI) from the Federal Election Commissions. However, not all RFAIs can be avoided. If you do get one about problems with the summary page calculations on your report, review the notes below for what you should do and how you can avoid getting another RFAI in the future.
See our full list of RFAI help files if you get a letter about another issue.
Form 3: Incorrect Column B of the Summary and Detailed Summary Pages
Text from RFAI
The totals listed on [Line Numbers], Column B of the Summary and Detailed Summary Page(s) appear to be incorrect. Column B figures for the Summary and Detailed Summary Pages should equal the sum of the Column B figures on your previous report and the Column A figures on this report. Please file an amendment to your report to correct the Column B discrepancies for this report and all subsequent report(s) which may be affected by this correction. Note that Column B should reflect only the election cycle-to-date totals (11/9/2022 through 11/5/2024). (52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)) and 11 CFR § 104.3)
Background
The FEC Form 3 typically has two columns: one for the current period
and the other for the cycle-to-date.
The numbers reported on Column B of your report are inconsistent with your previous report.
Solution
This is typically caused by changes to data on your previously filed
report. The first step is determine if those changes were correct or
made in accident.
Use the changed transaction report and/or
regenerate your previous reports to identify what has changed. If the
change was correct, file an amendment to the earliest report that was
incorrect and each report after that.
If the change was in accident, revert it and file an amendment of your most recently filed report.
Best Practices
To avoid problems such as this one going forward, ISPolitical recommends three key things:
1)
Use ISPolitical’s built-in bank reconciliation tool. This will ensure
that the reports you’re filing match your actual bank activity.
2)
Mark reports as filed in ISPolitical after they’re filed. This will
automatically lock transactions that have been filed so they can’t be
accidentally changed.
3) Pay attention to the errors and warnings
when generating a report in ISPolitical. You’ll be warned about problems
like this so that they can be addressed before filing your report.
Column A, B, and C of the FEC 3 Post-Election Report are inconsistent
Text from RFAI
Column B figures for the Summary and Post-Election Detailed Summary Page information should equal the sum of the Column B figures on your previous report and the Column A figures on this report minus the Column C figures. Please file an amendment to your report to correct the Column B discrepancies for Line(s) 7(a), 7(c), 17 and 22 and all subsequent report(s) that may be affected by this correction. Note that Column B should reflect only the election cycle-to-date totals (11/9/2022 through 11/5/2024). (52 U.S.C. § 30104(b) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 434(b)) and 11 CFR § 104.3)
Background
The FEC Form 3 typically has two columns: one for the current period and the other for the cycle-to-date. The post-election report crosses over two different election cycles, so it has Column B for the ending cycle and Column C for the new cycle.
The numbers reported on your report are inconsistent with your previous report.
Solution
This is typically caused by changes to data on your previously filed report. The first step is determine if those changes were correct or made in accident.
Use the changed transaction report and/or regenerate your previous reports to identify what has changed. If the change was correct, file an amendment to the earliest report that was incorrect and each report after that.
If the change was in accident, revert it and file an amendment of the Post-Election report.
Best Practices
To avoid problems such as this one going forward, ISPolitical recommends three key things:
1) Use ISPolitical’s built-in bank reconciliation tool. This will ensure that the reports you’re filing match your actual bank activity.
2) Mark reports as filed in ISPolitical after they’re filed. This will automatically lock transactions that have been filed so they can’t be accidentally changed.
3) Pay attention to the errors and warnings when generating a report in ISPolitical. You’ll be warned about problems like this so that they can be addressed before filing your report.
Form 3X: Incorrect Column B of the Summary and Detailed Summary Pages
Text from RFAI
The totals listed on [Line Numbers], Column B of the Detailed Summary Page(s) appear to be incorrect. Column B figures for the Summary and Detailed Summary Pages should equal the sum of the Column B figures on your previous report and the Column A figures on this report. Please file an amendment to your report to correct the Column B discrepancies for this report and all subsequent report(s) which may be affected by this correction. Note that Column B should reflect only the Calendar Year-to-Date totals. (52 U.S.C. §30104(b))
Background
The FEC Form 3X has two columns: one for the current period
and the other for the year-to-date.
The numbers reported on the Column B of your report are inconsistent with your previous report: the year-to-date math is not working correct.
Solution
This is typically caused by changes to data on your previously filed
report. The first step is determine if those changes were correct or
made in accident.
Use the changed transaction report and/or
regenerate your previous reports to identify what has changed. If the
change was correct, file an amendment to the earliest report that was
incorrect and each report after that.
If the change was in accident, revert it and file an amendment of your most recent report.
Best Practices
To avoid problems such as this one going forward, ISPolitical recommends three key things:
1)
Use ISPolitical’s built-in bank reconciliation tool. This will ensure
that the reports you’re filing match your actual bank activity.
2)
Mark reports as filed in ISPolitical after they’re filed. This will
automatically lock transactions that have been filed so they can’t be
accidentally changed.
3) Pay attention to the errors and warnings
when generating a report in ISPolitical. You’ll be warned about problems
like this so that they can be addressed before filing your report.
Your calculations for Line 8 appear to be incorrect
Text from RFAI
Your calculations for Line 8 appear to be incorrect. Cash on hand at the close of the current reporting period should always equal the closing calendar year to date cash on hand amount. Please provide the corrected total on the Summary Page. (52 U.S.C. §30104(b))
Background
The FEC Form 3X has two columns: one for the current period and the other for the year-to-date.
For Line 8, these two columns must have the same amount. Different numbers would only be calculated if other summary lines are incorrect for the current period or the year.
Solution
This is not an issue that would occur in normal use of ISPolitical. All summary calculations are automatically recalculate with each report ensuring that columns A & B fully match.
Further, independent math verification is automatically run with each generated report.
If you’ve encountered this while using a previous tool, please consult with ISPolitical support on steps for importing your data and filing necessary amendments.
Best Practices
While this error should never happen when using ISPolitical, other math errors can occur due to data changing or typos.
Pay attention to the errors and warnings when generating a report in ISPolitical. You’ll be warned about problems like this so that they can be addressed before filing your report.
