Financial Policies
Cook County's financial policies have been developed to conform to Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting (NACSLB) best practices; comply with Cook County code of ordinances and State of Illinois statutes; and provide various County entities with sound direction in managing the County’s operations in an efficient and fiscally responsible manner.
An encumbrance is an accounting transaction where funds from a specific budgetary account are claimed for a specific purpose. Encumbrances allow the County to properly fund services that have been rendered and invoiced, but not yet paid. In keeping with best practice for aligning expenditures with the proper appropriation authority by fiscal year, the Bureau of Finance has prepared a County-wide Encumbrance Policy.
To view a summary of the policy please see:
2018 Encumbrance Memo
To find answers to some frequently asked questions please see:
In keeping with the best practice of aligning expenditures with the proper appropriation authority by fiscal year, the Bureau of Finance has prepared an updated county-wide Encumbrance Policy, which will impact the FY18 year-end processes.