Most pastors make a practice of living by faith. So much so that they even take it by faith that they’re getting paid correctly. But pastors should know that payroll is a tricky part of being a church treasurer, and the pastor’s paycheck is the trickiest of the tricky. So how do you know if you are being paid correctly? In the last year, I came across two churches that incorrectly paid their pastors only to find out 12+ months later. Not fun. Even worse, the IRS added to the “not fun.”
I included a quick worksheet that was mainly aimed at helping church treasurers but would be helpful for pastors to verify and understand their paycheck. As President Reagan used to say, “Trust, but verify.”
Useful Links
- Pastor Payroll Worksheet: https://www.dakotasumc.org/media/files/CONFERENCE/5_Conf_Finance_Benefits/Finance/Pastor_Payroll_Worksheet.xlsx
- Clergy Tax Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HIzf4Tgh84