Does your Church need an Employee Handbook Update?
Having a clear, well-organized employee handbook is a crucial element of the church-employee relationship. An employee handbook helps all employees understand church policies and procedures and assists with ensuring the smooth day-to-day operation by establishing clear workplace rules and policies. Contact us for more information. Source: Clergy Financial Resources Home Clergy Financial Resources is a…
Can churches reimburse employee health care premiums?
For many years, churches have been permitted to reimburse employees for or directly pay the cost of individual health insurance policy premiums and exclude such amounts from the employee’s gross income. However, recent Internal Revenue Service guidance effectively eliminates these health care reimbursement plans after December 31, 2013. Group health insurance policy premiums paid directly…
Top 5 HR or Payroll Mistakes
Let’s face it. Running a church often leaves little time to address human resources (HR) or payroll challenges. Only 6% of the churches have a dedicated HR professional on staff, yet making any of these Top 5 HR or Payroll Mistakes can have direct impact on your HR and payroll compliance: 1. Incorrect employment classification…
Does the church need to provide health insurance to their employees?
The answer is no. The church does not have to provide health insurance to their employees. Churches with less than 50 full-time equivalent employees for the previous calendar year are not required to provide health insurance. However, The Affordable Care Act requires most Americans to carry a “minimum essential coverage” health plan, or pay a…
Update Your Church Information with the IRS
Beginning January 1, 2014, churches must file Form 8822-B to report any of the following changes: -business mailing address -your business location -identity of your responsible party* The purpose of this form is to streamline communication and update contact information in case the IRS needs to contact your church. When filing the 8822-B form, churches…
Health Insurance Reimbursement Laws Have Changed…Is Your Church Still In Compliance?
Churches are prohibited from reimbursing employees for the cost of their individual health insurance policies on a nontaxable basis, regardless of whether the coverage is purchased through a Marketplace or directly from a carrier. Any payment for individual health insurance will be taxable income. Group health insurance premiums for employees paid directly by the church…
Housing Allowance: Church Owned Parsonage vs. Renting vs. Owning
Federal Income Tax: Parsonage allowances: Ministers who live in a church-provided parsonage do not pay federal income taxes on the amount of their compensation that their employing church designates in advance as a parsonage allowance, to the extent that the allowance represents compensation for ministerial services, is used to pay parsonage-related expenses such as utilities,…
Charitable Contributions Through Payroll
Church employees wishing to make charitable contributions to their church can do so through a payroll deduction. This deduction must be set-up as an after-tax deduction in the church’s payroll system. The charitable donation deduction through payroll is only done for convenience purposes and does not provide an immediate tax benefit. On the employee’s tax…
Benevolence Policy Tips for Churches
We recommend that each church establish its own written benevolence policy. An appropriate policy would include the following: Description of the purpose of the benevolence program (e.g. to provide support to the poor and needy). Criteria to be used to determine whether a person qualifies to receive benevolent gifts (e.g. income limitations, distressed situation, loss…
Using a Church Credit Card?
Churches often provide their employees with church credit cards. The church should have a credit card policy which indicates the card should never be used for employee’s personal expenses and should only be used for ministry related expenses. If personal expenses have been paid with this card, these amounts do need to be reported as…