Minister’s Taxes

Taxes & the Preacher
Preacher, are you paying more taxes than you should?

As a minister, it is extremely important how your compensation package is arranged. Depending on the way your pay package is structured, you may be paying $500, $700 or even $1,000 per year in unnecessary taxes! Does your church reimburse all your ministry-related expenses? Mileage? Books? Conferences, conventions? Education? Equipment? Other ministry expenses? If your expenses are reimbursed, does your expense plan meet all the IRS requirements for an accountable expense reimbursement plan as listed in IRS Publication 517? Are you receiving all the tax-free employee benefits allowed by law? Medical insurance? Term life insurance? Disability insurance? Reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical expenses? (deductibles, co-pays, non-covered items) Are you receiving a housing allowance? Is your housing allowance as large as the law allows? If you live in a parsonage and the church pays your utilities, do you receive a cash housing allowance as well? A Compensation Planning Session can do the following:  Help your church treasurer understand the best way to handle payroll.  Meet all government regulations.  Reduce your income and Social Security taxes to the correct amount.  Provide a Tax Reference Manual specifically designed for church treasurers. During the two to three hour session, the details of each employee’s compensation is reviewed. Earnings records, Quarterly Employer’s Report, W-2’s, W-3’s, Employment Contract examples are included in the materials provided for the church treasurer.