Your web browser is not supported You're using Internet Explorer, some features might not work. Please switch to another browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for a better experience.


An official website of the United States government Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Federal Election Commission | United States of America Calendar
           Glossary
          Search
              Search


Menu
      Home
      Campaign finance data
        All data
            Raising
            Spending
            Loans and debts
            Filings and reports
            Candidates
            Committees
            Bulk data
            Campaign finance statistics
        Find elections. Search by state or ZIP code
          Look up contributions from specific individuals
      Help for candidates and committees
        All compliance resources
            Guides
            Forms
            Dates and deadlines
            Trainings
        Learn about electronic filing
          Find and contact your committee's analyst
      Legal resources
        All legal resources
            Advisory opinions
            Enforcement
            Statutes
            Legislation
            Regulations
            Court cases
            Policy and other guidance
        Search across all legal resources
          Search guidance documents
      About
        All about the FEC
            News and announcements
            Commission meetings
            Mission and history
            Leadership and structure
            Reports about the FEC
            Careers
            Working with the FEC
            Contact
        Introduction to campaign finance and elections


- Home
- ›
        Help for candidates and committees
- ›
        Filing political party reports
- ›
      Estimating independent expenditures

How to report
        
        Estimating independent expenditures If the cost of an independent expenditure is not known at the time it is disseminated, the party committee estimates the cost on the 24 or 48-hour report.
 Reporting the estimate The party committee estimates the cost of the independent expenditure on its 24 or 48-hour report using Form 3X, Schedule E. In the purpose field, clearly indicate that the amount is an estimate.
 At the time the TV ad for Al Verroes was publicly distributed, the party committee did not have the exact cost information from the vendor. The party committee estimated the cost of the ad on their 48-hour report and clearly labeled that the amount is an estimated cost in the purpose of expenditure field. The party committee included the vendor’s name and information, the distribution date, and aggregate for this election and race in this calendar year. It also disclosed that the ad supports Al Verroes who is running in the 2018 general election for New York’s 25th congressional district.
 Reporting the actual cost The party committee reports the actual cost of the independent expenditure on its next regularly scheduled report using Form 3X, Schedule E. In the purpose field, note that the amount is the correct amount and the amount initially reported on the 24 or 48-hour report was an estimate.
 Now that the party committee knows how much the ad costs, it discloses the actual amount of the ad on its 2018 September Monthly Report (covering 8/1/18 – 8/31/18). The party committee also includes the vendor’s name and information, the distribution date and the payment date (since both are known), and the aggregate for this election and race in this calendar year. It also discloses that the ad supports Al Verroes who is running in the 2018 general election for New York’s 25th congressional district.
 Reporting with FECFile To enter independent expenditures, go to the Summary tab and right click on “Line 24 Independent expenditures.”
 Learn more about filing independent expenditures in FECFile FECFile Getting Started Guide - Basic reporting for independent expenditures (page 23)
 Independent Expenditures for Committees: 24 and 48-hour reports


About
          Careers
          Press
          Contact
   Privacy and security policy
          Plain language
          No FEAR Act
          Strategy, budget and performance
 Open government
          Protected Voices
          USA.gov
          Inspector General
          FOIA
 OpenFEC API
          GitHub repository
          Release notes
          FEC.gov status


Federal Election Commission
 The FEC's Twitter page
            The FEC's YouTube page Sign up for FECMail


Hide glossary Glossary Search terms