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The BEST Commercial listings near Cape May NJ

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Commercial 

Condo Insights <br> <br>#67   Condo Insights    #67     Protecting and investing reserve funds     Part 1  In 2024 New Jersey Governor  Phil Murphy signed into law S2760/  A4384, commonly known as the  Structural Integrity Act, the    Act   .  The Act requires all condominium  associations to conduct regular periodic structural integrity inspections  (every five years), perform regular  reserve studies, mandates following  recommended annual reserve contributions and that associations maintain adequate reserve funding.  Many associations will have their  first Capital Reserve Study (   CRS   )  prepared in 2024 or 2025. With the  Act requiring associations to fund  the reserve contributions recommended in their respective CRS, it  is reasonable to expect that reserve  contributions for many associations  will increase in upcoming fiscal year  operating budgets.  In coming years condominium and  community associations will be realizing a growing accumulation of reserve funds. For some associations,  hundreds of thousands of dollars in  association reserve funds will be under control of volunteer board members, some of whom may have little  or no experience managing reserve  funds and investments.  Reserve fund management is an  important part of an association   s  overall fiscal practices plan that includes conducting regular reserve  studies, adequately funding reserves,  establishing clear investment guidelines, and maintaining transparent  financial practices.  A board member   s top priority  safeguarding association   s assets and  managing reserve funds comes with  great responsibility. The board has a  fiduciary duty which includes careful consideration of where funds are  invested, protecting the association  funds and ensuring best possible financial outcomes while minimizing  risk to those investments. While  board members bring their knowledge and experience to the table for  the benefit of the community, a financial advisor and/or the property  management company can bring investment expertise when the board  is looking to invest reserve funds.  There are steps condominium or  community association board members can take to protect and invest  reserve funds.  There may be legal parameters  around how an HOA or condo association board can invest reserve  funds. Reserve fund management  can also be influenced by laws of the  state and community needs. Some  association governing documents  include guidelines for reserve fund  management. The Board will want  to research if there are any reserve  fund laws in their state to understand  what a board can and cannot do, and  what the association must abide by or  adhere to.  Keep reserve funds in a separate account from operating funds  to clearly track and manage them.  Withdrawals from the reserve fund  should require authorization from at  least two board members for added  security and control. All transactions  should be properly documented on  financial statements and supported with invoices or contracts. The  board should regularly review financial statements and bank statements  to ensure accuracy and prevent  fraud. Besides separation of operating funds and reserve funds for purposes mentioned previously, reserve    accounts typically have less activity,  more stable account balances and  can be expected to generate more interest income compared to operating  funds.  Associations should establish a  clear investment policy outlining  acceptable investment types, risk  avoidance or tolerance, and how often investments are reviewed. Short  of a formal policy, associations are  well advised to always protect the  principal and then maximize the returns on investment. FDIC-insured  options like money market accounts  or CDs ensure funds are invested securely.  Certificates of Deposit (CDs) earn  interest on a deposit for a fixed term  and have higher interest rates than  regular savings accounts. CDs carry  minimal risk, typically have lower returns compared to stocks and bonds,  and there may be a penalty to pay for  early withdrawal.  A money market deposit account is  a savings account, with a higher interest yield. There is a minimum investment the association must make,  and there is limited access to withdraw funds if needed before the end  of the term.  Investing reserve funds in US Treasuries means associations don   t have  to pay local or state taxes on returns.  However, they are locked in until  maturity   no withdrawals unless  they are sold off. Associations can  also invest in Treasury bills, Treasury  notes and Treasury bonds. They have  varying investment terms, but essentially the longer the money is left in  the investment the higher the percentage of return.  Associations should avoid risky investments. Why? Because even unintentional missteps in investments can  have consequences. For instance, a  poorly performing investment might  leave the association short of funds  for planned projects. Choosing risky  ventures could open the door to legal troubles, with association members potentially suing the board for  a breach of fiduciary duty. By sticking to FDIC-insured options, board  members not only protect the community   s funds but also ensure funds  are available in the future.  Part 2 of this article will discuss  additional steps and controls to protect reserve funds, and practices to  prevent misappropriation of reserve  funds.  Jim Yost owns Elite Management and  Advisory Services, LLC and is Managing Partner for Ocean Property Management Corporation, based in Wildwood. The firms provide management  and advisory services to numerous  community, condominium and homeowner associations in southern New  Jersey. He can be reached at yostopmc@comcast.net.  Karim Kaspar, Esq. is Senior Counsel with Lowenstein Sandler LLP. He  serves as general counsel to numerous  community and condominium associations throughout New Jersey. He  specializes in complex commercial litigation and real estate matters and has  been active and instrumental in the  firm   s pro-bono activities. He can be  reached at kkaspar@lowenstein.com.  The entire Condo Insights series of  articles is available online at www.  oceanpropertymgmt.com
 


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