Associations, decipher the workings of your 2024 chart of accounts to understand your obligations

By Cécile Sourbes

Published: October 22, 2024

The Associative Chart of Accounts (PCA): a well-known accounting reference for many associations, this chart was updated at the beginning of 2020. But do you know what it is exactly?

What is the Associative Chart of Accounts? How does the 2024 association chart of accounts change things for associations? Who is it aimed at? What is the structure of the accounts and how do you keep your association's accounts using the chart of accounts? Appvizer answers your questions.

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What is the association chart of accounts?

The association chart of accounts (PCA) is a simplified version of the general chart of accounts (PCG) and is specially adapted to associations.

Its aim is to provide a single reference framework for standardizing the accounts of associations, while taking into account certain specific features.

Like the PCG, it comprises eight classes of accounts, divided into income statement and balance sheet items .

The 2024 chart of accounts for associations? The same since 2020!

Repeal of the CRC 99-01 Association Accounting Plan

Expected for years and published in the Journal Officiel in December 2018, the new association chart of accounts finally came into force on January 1, 2020.

✅ Updated by the French Accounting Standards Authority, the new ANC regulation 2018-06 thus repeals CRC regulation 99-01, which had applied since January 1, 2000.

CRC regulation 99-01 had been introduced to regulate the accounting of associations, which until then had had no defined accounting obligations.

With the new 2020 chart of accounts for associations, the traditional chapter-based organization has been replaced by an article-based organization, based on the General Chart of Accounts model.

What has changed in 2020 for the association chart of accounts?

The new associative chart of accounts has been modernized and clarified, with the aim of providing greater transparency in accounting and financial management.

Here are just a few of the changes to note

voluntary contributions in kind (volunteering, donation or provision) must be valued at the foot of the income statement,
new names:
- Associative funds become shareholders' equity,
- profits become surpluses
- losses to deficits, etc.
the balance sheet and income statement must be presented according to standard summary tables,
the various types of investment subsidy are no longer distinguished, and are recorded under investment income or subsidy,
loans for use are now considered as voluntary contributions in kind.

Association chart of accounts: which associations and which obligations?

Associations covered by the voluntary sector chart of accounts

The following associations are concerned by the plan

that receive public grants or donations in excess of €153,000 over the year,
with a balance sheet in excess of €3,100,000 or €1,550,000 and more than 50 employees,
are subject to corporation tax (IS),
which receive more than half their budget from local authorities, or more than €75,000,
recognized as being of public utility or general interest,
responsible for collecting funds for continuing professional training (organismes paritaires agréés),
seeking approval from a public authority,
whose exclusive mission is scientific or medical assistance or research,
operating in the management of health and social establishments,
appealing to public generosity,
political and electoral financing,
that issue real estate securities,
sports associations and federations.

What documents must be included in the PCA?

an income statement,
a balance sheet
and an appendix if two of the following thresholds are reached:
- a balance sheet in excess of €350,000,
- sales in excess of €700,000,
- more than 10 employees.

Chart of accounts: small associations

Small associations are not required to follow the association chart of accounts. On the other hand, it is recommended that these associations draw inspiration from it.

💡 Please note: small associations generally keep cash accounts.

In practical terms, this means they can simply record expenses and income chronologically in a simple notebook or Excel file.

But this simplified system only applies to small associations, which are required to report to their members.

In fact, associations that fall into one of the above-mentioned categories and that exceed a subsidy threshold, or that are recognized as being in the public interest, for example, are not eligible for such simplified measures.

See also: How to manage an association's cash flow?

The association chart of accounts explained

The different PCA accounts

In practice, the association chart of accounts is modelled on the General Chart of Accounts. There are eight different classes of accounts, comprising several sub-categories:

Class 1: Capital accounts
Class 2: Fixed asset accounts
Class 3: Inventories and work-in-progress
Class 4: Third-party accounts
Class 5: Financial accounts
Class 6: Expense accounts
Class 7: Income accounts
Class 8: Treatment of voluntary contributions in kind

👉 Account classes 1 to 5 refer to balance sheet accounts.

👉 Account classes 6 and 7 refer to income statement accounts.

👉 Class 8 is a special class found at the foot of the balance sheet, as explained above.

Particularities of the associative chart of accounts compared with the PCG

This eighth and final class differs from the PCG. In the general chart of accounts, the eighth class refers to Special Accounts.

Under each sub-class, there are associated accounts.

By way of example, here is a summary table of Class 8 accounts in the associative chart of accounts:

86 - Use of voluntary contributions in kind	860 - Assistance in kind
	861 - Provision of goods free of charge
	862 - Services
	864 - Volunteer staff
87 -Voluntary contributions in kind	870 - Donations in kind
	871 - Services in kind
	875 - Volunteers