MinistryCPA - Corey A. Pfaffe, CPA, LLC

Question: Can a church give non-taxable gifts to its pastor(s)? Answer: Typically, there are two ways members of a congregation can give gifts to its pastor(s) and staff member(s). One involves corporate action and the other involves personal and individual action. 1. The church can take up a collection for its pastor(s). In this case, the contributions are deductible to the donors, but must be reported by the pastor since they are deemed payments received from an employer as compensation for his services. Any gifts paid by employers to their employees are considered taxable income and must be reported together with other earnings on Forms 941 and W-2 . Additionally, churches should be aware of the Internal Revenue Service's "De Minimis Fringe Benefits" rules. According to IRS Publication 15-B, a de mininis benefit is any property or service provided to an employee that has so little value that accounting for it would be unreasonable or impractical. However, ca...

Question: I am now committed to a not-for-profit career and finding it very fulfilling. What can I do to better qualify myself? Answer: We like what we are seeing in the new  Master of Nonprofit Administration  offered by Maranatha Baptist University. What we like about it:        1.         We have personal knowledge of the faculty members' experience in the not-for-profit world.        2.         The featured courses hit on the areas we have found not-for-profit leaders hungry for advanced             training. ·           Writing grant applications that appeal to foundations looking for partners ·           Recruiting, selecting, and supporting quality volunteers        3.         ...

Question: How should a church handle benevolent giving and what principles should be followed? Answer: Many churches have established a “benevolent” or “others” fund to help meet the special financial needs of its members and community. All members of the congregation are generally encouraged to give to the fund to allow the church to respond through an authorization process observed by church officers. While a fund like this can be of great assistance to individuals in need, there are some principles a church can follow to be wise with these funds and to comply with the Internal Revenue Code. 1. A benevolent gift is not disbursed in exchange for goods or services rendered. Therefore, it is not considered taxable income to the recipient, and no reporting (e.g. Form 1099 ) is required by the church. A gift of benevolence is a gift with absolutely no expectation of repayment or receipt of services. There may be instances when those in need may ask for a loan rather t...

Question: What ideas can a church consider to control its rising health care costs? Answer: Many ministers and their employers are looking for alternative plans to control rising health care costs without neglecting those in need of medical services. Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, many churches have reconsidered the medical benefits it offers to employees . If the church employs a single employee—a solo minister, the ACA has one set of requirements. Generally, there is more flexibility when there is only one employee. But for churches with two or more employees who participate in medical benefits, the ACA has stringent requirements. We suggest that you consult your tax professional when offering medical benefits. The benefits the church offers may very well be 100 percent taxable to the employee. For example, be aware that if a church covers the monthly share costs of an employee for a health-sharing plan (e.g., Samaritan Ministries International, Medi...

Question: What reports do churches need to file with the IRS regarding pastors' compensation? Answer: Other than for the pastor, a church files the same reports for all employees and is subject to the same withholding rules for standard employees as any other organization. Ministers compensation, however, is exempt from all withholding. The only exemptions churches enjoy compared to other organizations are (1) an exemption from unemployment taxes, and (2) an exemption from FICA (Social Security and Medicare) tax for churches that file Form 8274 .  IRS Publication 15 can answer church treasurers’ standard questions regarding church payroll. Reporting a minster’s compensation is often confusing even to treasurers who are familiar with the rules for standard employees. The following is a sample compensation arrangement:

Your financial stewardship is too important to trust to a tax preparer (someone who only fills out tax forms) or a do-it-yourself tax software. A true tax professional views the preparation of your tax returns as a final, relatively simple step. Well before that time the professional serves you with forward-thinking strategies for your financial health. This is true whether you are a year-after-year Form W-2 employee earner or a business owner in an ever-changing financial landscape. Families whose primary sources of income are reported as Form W-2 wages have both before and after year-end tax opportunities that tax pros use to serve their clients and to offer services that more than pay for themselves. Examples: Planning ahead: Your tax professional simply reminds you that your daughter will turn 17 next year—that’s typically a $1,500 hit to your wallet. BUT when your tax pro asks and then understands that she is also starting her college education next fall, your adv...

Question: Should a church set up a car allowance for its pastor? Answer: Any financial assistance that a minster’s employer can give is appreciated. A car allowance can be especially helpful. Car allowances, however, must be established as “accountable plans.” This means that any advances given by the employer to the minster must be properly substantiated on a timely basis or the Internal Revenue Service requires the minster to refund the unspent, undocumented portion of the allowance. It’s a better idea to offer a professional expense reimbursement under accountable plan rules of the IRS, instead of a car allowance . A reimbursement arrangement covers car expenses, plus other professional expenses. Documentation can then include non-auto costs such as air, travel, lodging, conferences, gifts, books, supplies, and any other legitimate ministry-related expenditure. The minister documents car expenses when he provides a record of the date, business purpose, and number of mi...

Question: What is the difference between an accountable and nonaccountable professional expense reimbursement plan? If a pastor's church advances him more than his actual expenses, can he keep the excess and simply report it as additional taxable income? Answer: Some churches have set up professional expense reimbursement plans for their pastors that are not in compliance with the Internal Revenue Code. For example, a church includes $100 per month in its budget to advance to the pastor for his ministry expenses. The church requires no substantiation, but assumes the pastor has at least that much in unreimbursed expenses. Therefore, the church does not report theses advances as taxable income. This procedure is incorrect. Most pastors understand their duty to use these funds for church purposes. Some believe if they do not incur sufficient tax deductible expenses, they are permitted to report the excess advances as taxable income and use the undocumented monies for personal...

Question: As a pastor, what are my retirement options and what are the advantages/disadvantages of each? Answer: The best retirement plan option for each minister depends on his objectives and his current tax situation. The three most common retirement plan options used by ministers include: (a) Internal Revenue Code 403(b) plans (also called Tax Sheltered Annuities (TSAs)) (b) Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), and (c) Roth IRAs  Ministers often select 403(b) plans when they want to maximize their eligible contributions, or to reduce their self-employment tax burden. For the year 2020, a minister may elect to have his employer withhold (“elective deferral”) up to $19,500 of his compensation and contribute it; instead, to his 403(b) qualified investment account. Ministers who are 50 and older are eligible to increase this amount by another $6,500 to catch-up for earlier years’ smaller deferrals ( IRS Publication 571 ). In addition, unlike...

Question: As a pastor, what can I deduct for a housing (parsonage) allowance? Answer: A minister who receives a housing allowance may exclude the allowance from gross income to the extent it is used to pay expenses in providing a home. A minister living in a parsonage qualifies for a housing allowance to the extent of his own out-of-pocket cost s.  The IRS lists only food and servants as prohibitions to allowable housing expenses. The minister’s church or other qualified organization (e.g. religious school or college with board members accountable to local churches) must designate the housing allowance by official action taken in advance of the payment. If none of the minister's salary has been officially designated as housing allowance, the full salary must be included in gross income.  If a minister owns a home, the amount excluded from the minister’s gross income as a housing allowance is limited to the least of the following three amounts: (a) the amount actuall...