How do I report income that straddles two years?
With the end of 2019 approaching, we frequently receive questions about income split between different years. “My church is paying for my moving expenses. They gave me a two checks for $1,000. Can I wait to cash one or both until January 1st so the payments go on next year’s tax return?” “My Church was…
Is a holiday gift to a Minister taxable?
There is a lot of misinformation about what should and should not be considered taxable income when it comes to holiday gifts. As with many other tax situations, the correct answer relies heavily on the details of the situation. This article will describe some general information, but you should consult your tax professional before making…
Holiday Gifts to Employees can be taxable
Churches want to acknowledge the hard work of their employees and volunteers, so they frequently give gifts around the Holidays. Many of these holiday gifts fall into the category of “De Minimis Fringe Benefits”. In IRS terms, a “De Minimis Fringe Benefit” is a benefit with a value too small or too difficult to value….
Understanding Clergy W-2 Forms
The image above details what to expect in different fields of a typical clergy W-2 form. Do you need help with your clergy W-2s? Clergy Financial Services can file W-2 or W-2 correction forms for you. Visit our website at W-2, W-2c and 1099 Filing
Is my Social Security Allowance taxable?
The short answer to this question is yes. Unlike non-clergy employees, clergy do not have Social Security or Medicare taxes taken out of their paycheck. The Church also does not pay any matching portion to IRS, so the Minister has to pay both halves, the employee and employer portions. These are usually paid in quarterly…
How does an inheritance get taxed?
If you recently received an inheritance, you may be wondering if you have any tax obligations. Fortunately, except for very large estates, most people will never have to pay any sort of tax on their inheritance. Estate tax is calculated based on the value of the deceased’s assets at time of death. This is usually…
What is the Housing Allowance?
The Clergy Housing Allowance is a portion of a Minister’s pay that has been designated to pay housing expenses. It is considered one of the best tax benefits currently available to Clergy because this portion of income can potentially be exempt from income taxes. In order to determine how much of the Clergy Housing Allowance…
What is Honoraria?
The dictionary defines honoraria as “a payment given for professional services that are normally rendered without charge” or “a payment in recognition of acts for which custom or propriety forbids a price to be set”. This would include payments made for things like weddings, baptisms, funerals, pulpit supply or speaking engagements. In most situations, it…
Getting a Second Opinion on Clergy Taxes
Clergy taxes are an extremely narrow niche of tax law, so many generalist tax companies and software packages are not familiar with the rules. On top of this, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act drastically changed the way that members of the Clergy can claim expenses. If you didn’t file with Clergy Financial Resources, it’s…
Top Ten Tips for 1040s
Here are ten tips to avoid errors when filing your 1040 returns. Math and typing errors- Using tax software or a tax firm to prepare your return greatly reduces the chances of mathematical errors, but it is still easy to transpose digits while doing data entry. Even if you have someone prepare your return, check…
