IRS Issues Basic Guidance on Payroll Tax Deferral for Churches
The IRS has issued Notice 2020-65 deferring the withholding and deposit of the employee’s share of Social Security (OASDI) taxes on applicable wages. Specifically, the deferral applies to applicable wages paid on a pay date between September 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The availability of deferral is based on the date the employee is paid….
Increased Payroll Audits for Churches
The frequency of payroll audits has surged over the last five years and churches are facing increased payroll scrutiny. Most payroll audits have traditionally focused on whether or not a church is misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor, thus avoiding Social Security, Medicare and other payroll taxes. Churches misclassify anywhere from 10 percent to…
Is your church in compliance with current payroll laws?
Make sure your church is in compliance with current payroll laws. Clergy Financial Resources payrolls service now includes a “year-to-date” payroll audit. During our audit, we will review each employee’s compensation to to ensure that everyone is being paid in accordance to Federal tax laws. Clergy Financial Resources is the leading payroll provider for churches….
Outsourcing Payroll Duties Is Becoming The Best Investment For Churches
When it comes to very low value and potentially high risk business activities, doing your own payroll ranks right near the top. Sixty percent of the W2 forms completed by churches are issued in error. Twenty percent of churches pay an average penalty of $845 per year for late or incorrect payroll filings. Many churches…
Payroll for Churches and Religious Organizations
The end of the year is the perfect time to switch payroll companies. Clergy Financial Resources offers an easy online payroll management service that specifically meets the requirements of religious organizations. We have an unparalleled tax expertise on the complex issues associated with church payroll and clergy compensation. Sixty percent of churches do not follow…
Church Tax and Payroll Support
At Clergy Financial Resources, we think our tax and payroll support is just as important as our other services. We offer support plans in many forms and it starts with our very first conversation with you. We give you all the information you need, quickly and conveniently. Church Support has become the most valuable tax…
The Church Treasurer’s Handbook (2027 Edition)
One-time purchase · instant download
Protect every dollar your congregation gives, pay people correctly and report clearly. A plain-language guide for the people who keep the church’s books.
- Eight internal controls that protect the church and the treasurer
- Paying the pastor: dual tax status, housing allowance and reimbursements
- Form 941, W-2 and 1099 guidance, plus a monthly board report
- Month-by-month treasurer calendar and nine common mistakes to avoid
Year-End Giving Statements: What Churches Must Include for 2026
Starting in 2026, many church members who don’t itemize can deduct their cash gifts. Here’s what treasurers need to include in year-end giving statements, and when they must go out.
Paying Guest Speakers and Pulpit Supply: A Year-End Guide for Church Treasurers
Guest preachers, visiting musicians and pulpit supply are part of church life, but they come with reporting rules. Here is how the new $2,000 Form 1099-NEC threshold works for 2026 payments and what treasurers should gather before January.
Church & Clergy Guides
Plain-language guides and ready-to-use tools for pastors, church treasurers and boards, written by the clergy tax specialists at Clergy Financial Resources. Instant download, updated every year. For pastors Keep more of what you earn and file with confidence. Pastors & churches 2027 Housing Allowance Guide Understand the rules, avoid common mistakes and get the most…