Ministers Defined by the IRS
When a church hires an employee, one of the initial decisions that must be made is whether to treat the worker as clergy, non-clergy employee or contractor. This decision may seem insignificant, but it has huge implications when it comes to payroll. Ministers have what is commonly referred to as “dual tax status.” For federal…
What is the Difference Between FICA and SECA?
Social Security taxes or contributions are collected under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA). Many people refer to contributions to Social Security as either FICA or SECA taxes. While FICA and SECA may sound similar, they are just two different ways for the government to collect Social Security and Medicare taxes. The big…
Deductions that are disappearing in 2018
President Trump recently signed the tax reform bill into law, and it makes major changes to the U.S. tax code for both individuals and corporations. In fact, the bill represents the most significant tax changes in the United States in more than 30 years. While many deductions are remaining under the new tax law, there…
2017 State Worksheets
2017 State Worksheets The state worksheet is designed to address the most current tax law changes within your state. Please print and complete a state worksheet for your resident state. If you lived in multiple states, please complete a state organizer for each state. This worksheet will assist you in gathering state information needed to…
What Expenses Can Be Used to Justify the Housing Allowance Exclusion?
Generally, any expense to provide or maintain the home can be used to justify the housing exclusion. Regulations do specifically state that expenses for groceries, paper products, personal toiletries, personal clothing, and maid service cannot be used. You may legitimately include the following: (1) rent, principal payments, or down payments plus the cost of buying…
Avoid Costly Payroll Errors
Let’s face it. Managing church payroll – and the avalanche of payroll regulations – means you’re under a lot of scrutiny, and you have to get it right. Each year sixty percent of the church W-2 forms are reported with errors. This is created by the lack of understanding of the reporting requirements of taxable…
Health Reimbursement Plans are Back!
On December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act, which goes into effect on January 1, 2017. This law allows small churches to set up a QSEHRA to contribute toward your employees’ healthcare costs. This plan is now available through our website. Click Here to Order. If your church (with less than 50…
Become a Member
Membership Benefits Ask a Tax Pro Members receive 5 free questions each calendar year. Researching a tax issue on your own takes time and can leave you wondering if you’ve got the right answer. Turn to Clergy Financial Resources to save time while getting the correct answers. When you need an answer, our support staff is ready…
2016 State Worksheets
In addition to the Clergy Tax Organizer, we also provide a state worksheet. This worksheet will assist you in gathering state information needed to prepare your current tax return. Please print and complete a state worksheet for your resident state. The state worksheet is required and should be included with other supporting documents which can be…
Preparing for Year-End and 2017 – Payroll Compliance:
Is your church concerned about payroll compliance? Beware, the IRS is hiring 700 new revenue agents whose only job will be to hunt down payroll-law violations. That means intense new scrutiny of your W-2s, 1099s, 1095s and other payroll tax reporting compliance. Last year, 60% of clergy W-2 forms were issued in error by churches and payroll…