Question: Can all church employees qualify for housing allowance? Answer: No. Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code allows only a “minister of the gospel” to have a housing allowance. Thus, only taxpayers who are serving as clergy under IRS rules for tax purposes are eligible for...
If you are making quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS, the due date for the September 1st – December 31st, 2022 quarter of the year is January 17th, 2023. You may be able to skip the January 18th payment if you file your 2022...
The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2023 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups,...
If you are new to Ministry, it’s possible that you’ve never heard of self-employment taxes before, much less paid them. One common mistake for new Ministers is filing the 1040 without taking self-employment taxes into account, which can result in a big bill later when...
Question: New Year’s Eve falls on a weekend when we’re closed, but we typically give employees that holiday off. Do we need to offer employees an alternative day off? Answer: No, the way you designate holiday closures is largely up to you. No federal law requires you...
Like other corporate entities, churches encounter business activities that must be completed just before, or soon after, the end of the calendar year. Now is the time to make plans for these various tasks. The questions that follow can be used as a checklist for...
For clergy who are living permanently in a nursing home, they can use some (but not all) of their nursing home expenses for the housing allowance. For example, the rental cost of their room and the utilities are eligible for the housing allowance. The food...
Question: Am I required to pay overtime to employees who work on holidays? Answer: Generally, no. Whether you pay extra for work done on holidays is up to you. There is no federal law that requires an employer to pay extra. As for overtime, if an employee...
Question: What is FMLA and how does it apply to churches? Answer: What is it? FMLA is short for the Family and Medical Leave Act. It generally provides 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period (more if caring for an injured or ill service member)....
Question: Can I Deduct the Mortgage for a Home That is Being Constructed? Does it qualify for the housing allowance? Answer: The IRS allows for taxpayers to deduct all of the interest they pay on a construction loan within the 24 months before the home is...