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…
Four Important Church Requirements
Prepare list of all church property for insurance purposes – include item description, serial number and value Prepare list of safety deposit box contents – update authority as needed – access should be allowed by two unrelated people Computer records are backed up and password protected for security Ideally, four individuals are required for regular…
Are your church workers classified correctly?
Churches may soon face increased scrutiny relating to employment classifications. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found in a recent study that 19 percent of small business employers didn’t comply with IRS rulings on worker status. This percent may be higher among churches. We recommended that your church review and increase compliance with employee…
Health Insurance Payroll Deduction…Taxable or Not?
In order for the payroll reductions for health insurance to be tax-free for employees, the church has to establish a POP (premium only plan) or FSA (flexible spending account) or a cafeteria plan. These benefit plans offer the employee the option to forgo part of his or her compensation on a tax-free basis in order…
IRS Audits on Churches Temporarily Halted
In a previous article “Clarifying the IRS Rules About Endorsing Candidates From The Pulpit,” we wrote about the IRS rules and regulations concerning churches/clergy officially endorsing political candidates. Throughout the election season, the IRS was inundated with complaints regarding the churches officially endorsing candidates. Recently, Bloomberg BNA talked with Russell Renwicks of the IRS Tax-Exempt and…
How the American Jobs Act Will Affect Clergy & Churches
How the “American Jobs Act” Will Affect Church Employees: At the beginning of 2010, a “payroll tax holiday” was passed. Employees normally pay 6.2% on their first $106,800 of wages into Social Security, however, this “tax holiday” decreased that amount by 2%. This allowed employees to pay 4.2% of wages into Social Security instead of…
Deduct Expenses Related To Church Mission Trips On Your Taxes
Summer is popular time for many churches to spread their ministry beyond the walls of their church. Whether your mission trip is an hour away or halfway across the globe, there is a substantial tax benefit available to people donating towards a mission trip. Many people that go on mission trip do not receive the…
How the Obama tax bill will affect church employees
On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act Of 2010, which will affect every U.S. employer and several areas of payroll, tax and benefits administration in January. Back in 2008, after the passage of the 2008 stimulus package, many taxpayers received $300…
Social Security Tax Paid by the Church
Social security benefits are financed through two tax systems. Employers and employees each pay the “FICA” tax, which for 2007 amounts to 7.65% of an employee’s taxable wages (a total tax of 15.3%). Self-employed persons pay the “self-employment tax,” which for 2007 is 15.3% of net self-employment earnings. Clergy are always considered to be self-employed…