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This chapter provides information on the TFM’s purpose, composition, types of releases, and forms. Appendix 1 includes a list of TFM supplements and their Web site addresses.

Section 1010—Introduction

The TFM is the Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury’s) official publication for financial accounting and reporting of all receipts and disbursements of the Federal Government. Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS) issues the TFM to provide policies, procedures, and instructions for Federal departments and agencies, Federal Reserve Banks (FRBs), and other concerned parties to follow in carrying out their fiscal responsibilities.

Section 1015—Authority

In accordance with 31 United States Code (U.S.C.) 331 and 3513, the Secretary of the Treasury has reporting responsibility. Other statutes and Executive Orders specifically place regulatory responsibility with Treasury for other subject matter presented in the TFM.

Section 1020—Arrangement of the TFM

1020.10—Description of Volumes

The TFM is comprised of six volumes. Each volume covers different subject matter and is directed to particular audiences. The volumes are:

• Volume I—Instructs and guides the Federal Government’s departments and agencies, and other concerned parties, in areas of central accounting and reporting; payrolls, deductions, and withholdings; disbursing; deposit regulations; and other fiscal matters.
  
  
• Volume II—Instructs and guides FRBs and their branches, general depositaries, and other concerned organizations in areas of deposit documents, Treasury’s account, Federal tax deposits, Treasury tax and loan accounts, letters of credit, Treasury checks, and other fiscal agency matters.
  
  
• Volume III—Is reserved for future use.
  
  
• Volume IV—Instructs and guides institutions that qualify as Treasury tax and loan depositaries for Federal taxes.
  
  
• Volume V—Instructs and guides depositaries within the 50 United States and the District of Columbia (domestic depositaries).
  
  
• Volume VI—Instructs and guides depositaries outside the United States, U.S. Territories, and insular possessions (overseas depositaries).

Users may access Volumes I, IV, V, and VI on the FMS Internet Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm. Only authorized users may access Volume II on the FMS Intranet. As described above, Volume III is reserved.

1020.20—Composition of Volume I

Volume I applies to all Federal agencies. It is divided into the following six parts:

• Part 1: Introduction—Includes the scope, application, and general organization of the TFM.
  
  
• Part 2: Central Accounting and Reporting—Includes requirements for the form, content, and submission of financial data required by FMS to fulfill its central accounting and reporting obligations for the financial operations of the Federal Government.
  
  
• Part 3: Payrolls, Deductions, and Withholdings—Includes requirements and standard voucher forms pertaining to payrolls; Federal, State, and local income tax withholdings; health benefits; insurance; other classes of deductions or allotments; and other matters pertinent to payrolls.
  
  
• Part 4: Disbursing—Includes requirements for vouchering payments made by check and cash; checking accounts with Treasury or general depositaries; and cancellation, claims, and other matters pertaining to Treasury checks.
  
  
• Part 5: Deposit Regulations—Includes requirements and forms for the deposit of public monies through the depositary system of the Federal Government.
  
  
• Part 6: Other Fiscal Matters—Includes procedures and forms that Federal agencies use for fiscal matters that require special instructions not covered in other parts of the TFM.

Section 1025—Types of TFM Releases

The TFM is comprised of the following types of releases:

• Chapters (often accompanied by appendices);
  
  
• Bulletins;
  
  
• Announcements;
  
  AND
  
  
• Supplements.

1025.10—Chapters

TFM chapters:

• Are released by transmittal letters with the FMS Commissioner’s signature;
  
  
• Cover a specific subject;
  
  
• Include a summary paragraph explaining the purpose of the chapter;
  
  AND
  
  
• Update or provide procedures and information based on changes to systems or applicable laws.

The first chapter of each volume describes the makeup of that volume, the procedures covered, and other included material.

User may access TFM chapters on the following Web sites:

• By part and chapter number at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/index.html;
  
  AND
  
  
• By transmittal letter number at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/tl.html.

1025.10a—Transmittal Letters

Transmittal letters:

• Are sequentially numbered;
  
  
• Release new and revised chapters;
  
  
• Summarize new and/or revised material;
  
  
• Provide instructions for the addition or substitution of material;
  
  
• List regulations or published instructions that are superseded or rescinded;
  
  AND
  
  
• Are released with the FMS Commissioner’s signature.

See the TFM transmittal letter Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/tl.html.

1025.10b—Contacts Page

The Contacts page of each chapter directs users to the organization(s) responsible for the technical content of the chapter. The first contact is the area with ownership responsible for the chapter. If the chapter contains specific or technical material relating to other areas, the Contacts page also includes the contact information for those areas.

For questions regarding a TFM chapter, users should contact the responsible area listed on the Contacts page.

1025.10c—Appendices

TFM chapters can include appendices. These appendices generally contain forms, charts, instructions, or additional information helpful in implementing chapter procedures. A chapter with more than one appendix has an “Appendices Listing” page that lists the appendices in numerical order.

1025.20—Bulletins

TFM bulletins:

• Are numbered sequentially by the fiscal year of issue (for example, TFM Volume I, Bulletin No. 2012-01, refers to the first bulletin released in fiscal 2012);
  
  
• Have retention dates that prescribe the bulletin’s anticipated retention period;
  
  
• Provide notice of immediately effective changes to instructions or requirements that, usually, are later codified into a TFM chapter;
  
  
• List superseded or rescinded material;
  
  AND
  
  
• Are released with the FMS Commissioner’s signature.

At the beginning of each fiscal year, FMS issues a Retention Bulletin for TFM volumes that have bulletins and chapters released or rescinded in the prior fiscal year.

Users may access TFM bulletins on the Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/ vol1/bull.html.

1025.20a—Inquiries

Each bulletin includes an inquiries paragraph that lists the area with ownership responsibility for the bulletin. For questions regarding a TFM bulletin, users should contact the responsible area listed in the Inquiries paragraph.

1025.20b—Attachments

Bulletins can include attachments. These attachments generally contain forms, charts, or additional instructions.

1025.30—Announcements

TFM announcements:

• Are identified with an “A” and are numbered sequentially by the fiscal year of issue (for example, A-2012-01 refers to the first announcement released in fiscal 2012);
  
  
• Contain information of a one-time, temporary nature, such as conference and training schedules, special events, or opening and closing dates for reporting requirements;
  
  
• Generally are not codified into a TFM chapter;
  
  
• Include the contact information for the responsible area.

Users may access TFM announcements on the Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/announce.html.

For questions regarding a TFM announcement, users should contact the responsible area listed in the Inquiries paragraph.

1025.40—Supplements

TFM supplements include detailed instructions, worksheets, and guidelines for financial reporting and accounting procedures. They are extensions of the TFM. Supplements cover such areas as cash management, credit administration, and the U.S. Government Standard General Ledger. See Appendix 1 to this chapter for a listing of TFM supplements and their Web addresses.

Users also may access TFM supplements on the Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/supp.html.

Section 1030—Forms

1030a—Electronic Forms

In compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act requirement that Federal agencies provide electronic options for transactions with Government, FMS has done the following:

• Created electronic formats for data submissions to and transactions with Treasury.
  
  
• Supported a business environment where electronic processes are becoming more common.

FMS has developed a Web site at http://www.fms.treas.gov/forms.html that includes some FMS-produced forms to support products and services. Unless exempted by law or FMS, all departments and agencies use standard accounting and reporting forms and related procedures, including those the Government Accountability Office has prescribed.

1030b—TFM Forms

The following forms are used for TFM release updates, new TFM releases, TFM release certification, and TFM release rescission:

• FMS 481: TFM Release Initiation, Clearance, and Approval—The FMS 481 is used to initiate a TFM release update and to document the final clearance and approval.
  
  
• FMS 7034: TFM Release Certification—The FMS 7034 is used to certify the currency of TFM releases that are 2 years old or older.
  
  
• FMS 485: TFM Request To Rescind (Without Revision or Replacement)—The FMS 485 is used to rescind a TFM release.

Section 1035—Subject Matter Expert Contact Information

TFM releases include subject matter expert contact information on the “Contacts” page for chapters, or in the “Inquiries” paragraph for bulletins and annoucements. TFM users should contact the subject matter expert, per the point of contact information, for questions concerning the TFM release content or for further assistance.

Section 1040—AC Area TFM Coordinators

AC Area TFM Coordinators are the primary points of contact within each FMS AC area for TFM releases. They coordinate TFM release updates, certifications, and rescisions; and the publication of new TFM releases.

Section 1045—TFM Staff Members

The TFM staff members’ edit, rewrite, and format TFM releases. In addition, they maintain the TFM Web site. They are not subject matter experts on the information or guidance presented in TFM releases.

Section 1050—Subscribing to the Automatic Email Notification for TFM Updates

Users may subscribe to the automatic email notification system for TFM updates at the following link: http://fms.treas.gov/scripts/subscription. The automatic email notifies users of a TFM update and also provides a link to the updated TFM release.

Contacts

Direct inquiries concerning this chapter to:

TFM Staff
U.S. Standard General Ledger Advisory Division
Governmentwide Accounting
Financial Management Service
Department of the Treasury
3700 East-West Highway, Room 221A
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Email: tfm@fms.treas.gov

APPENDIX 1—Supplements to the TFM

Cash Management Made Easy Guidebook (http://fms.treas.gov/crm/cashmanagementmadeeasy.html)

Managing Federal Receivables (http://www.fms.treas.gov/debt/Guidance_MFR.html)

Federal Account Symbols and Titles (FAST) Book (http://www.fms.treas.gov/fastbook/index.html)

Manual of Procedures and Instructions for Cashiers (Cashier's Manual) (http://www.fms.treas.gov/imprest/cashiers_manual.pdf)

The Greenbook (http://www.fms.treas.gov/greenbook/index.html)

U.S. Government Standard General Ledger (http://www.fms.treas.gov/ussgl/index.html)

Guide to the Federal Credit Bureau Program (http://www.fms.treas.gov/fedreg/guidance/fedcreditbureauguide.pdf)

Fund Balance With Treasury Reconciliation Procedures (http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/supplements/supp-v1p2c510.html)

Treasury Report on Receivables and Debt Collection Activities (http://www.fms.treas.gov/debt/dmrpts.html)

Now That You're a Certifying Officer (http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/CertifyingOfficer_29nov07.pdf)

Agency Self-Certification Guide (http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/agency_self-certification_guide_v13.pdf)

Transmittal Letter No. 681

Volume I

To: Heads of Government Departments, Agencies, and Others Concerned

1. Purpose

This transmittal letter releases revised TFM Volume I, Part 1, Chapter 1000: Purpose and Plan of the Treasury Financial Manual (TFM). This chapter provides agencies with information on the TFM’s purpose, composition, types of releases, and forms. Appendix 1 includes a list of TFM supplements and their Web site addresses.

2. Page Changes

3. Effective Date

This transmittal letter is effective immediately.

4. Inquiries

Direct questions concerning this transmittal letter to the TFM staff members via email to tfm@fms.treas.gov.

David A. Lebryk
Commissioner
Date: March 30, 2012