diff --git a/site/views/helpers/format.php b/site/views/helpers/format.php
index 4c84ce3..daa16cb 100644
--- a/site/views/helpers/format.php
+++ b/site/views/helpers/format.php
@@ -31,12 +31,15 @@ class FormatHelper extends AppHelper {
     // where this result is placed into a form for input.  50 cents
     // will end up as 50 dollars upon submission :-(
     $currency = self::$number->format
-      ($amount,
+      (abs($amount),
        array('places' => 2,
 	     'before' => $spans ? '' : (isset($dollar_sign) ? $dollar_sign : '$'),
 	     'after'  => $spans ? '' : null,
 	     ));
 
+    if ($amount < 0)
+      $currency = '(' . $currency . ')';
+
     if ($spans)
       return ('<SPAN CLASS="dollar-sign">$</SPAN>' .
 	      '<SPAN CLASS="dollar-amount">' . $currency . '</SPAN>');