Communicate with Your Accountant Year-Round
Tax and Financial management should be a year-round activity rather than limited to the traditional tax season. The biggest mistake nearly one-third of clergy make is only communicating with their accountants during tax time. In order that we may properly advise you of tax considerations, please keep us informed of any significant changes in your…
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…
New Hire Checklist
Document the Employee is Legally Allowed to Work This involves verifying both their identity and that they are legal for employment in the United States. Once they have presented you with the necessary documentation to verify this, you can fill out their I-9 form. You needn’t submit this to anyone. However, it is crucial to…
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…
Time for Reform?
From 1984 through 2008, the Social Security payroll taxes paid by Americans exceeded the benefit payments made by Social Security. However since 2009, benefits paid have exceeded taxes collected, including a $51 billion shortfall in 2013 (source: Social Security). Clergy Financial Resources Home Clergy Financial Resources is a national accounting and finance organization serving churches…
Looking into the future?
More than half (56%) of 1,000 Americans at least age 25 that were surveyed earlier this year have never attempted (nor has their spouse attempted) to calculate how much they will need to accumulate for their eventual retirement (source: Employee Benefit Research Institute). Clergy Financial Resources Home Clergy Financial Resources is a national accounting and…
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…
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…
Is your hobby really a business?
The Internal Revenue Service defines a hobby as an activity you pursue without expecting to make a taxable profit. Basically, you do it because you like it, regardless of the cost. But if you demonstrate that you are involved in an activity with the expectation of making money on it, the IRS will consider it…
Ministry Mileage – Best Practices
Almost all clergy use their personal vehicle for ministry purposes. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as they keep proper records. If you are chosen for an audit, you can bet the auditor will take a good look at the vehicle mileage. This is sometimes the red flag that caused the audit. Every…