A lot of churches have tight budgets so they cut Worker’s Comp coverage. Can they do this legally in North or South Dakota? Should they do this? Honestly, I’m a little murky on the North Dakota answer. I read in the Century Code how they do not consider church work to be “Hazardous Employment.” They…
Year Round Stewardship Plan
Hopefully this is timely and helpful for any church struggling financially. Here’s the bad news: There is no silver bullet when it comes to raising up generous givers. If your church is struggling financially, there is no quick fix. There is a strong spiritual element connected to our relationship with money…and practically nothing happens quickly…
Independent Contractor or Employee…does it matter?
Are there other organizations the have troubles telling the difference between employees and independent contractors? I think this is primarily a church problem. Churches often have a lot of very part-time people paid small amounts. Maybe this used to be a volunteer position that is now paid. When does that person turn into an employee?…
How do I prepare my pastor’s W-2?
I’m not trying to dissuade you from having a tax professional prepare your W-2’s, but, if you are up to the challenge, here’s how to do it. This is mainly aimed at clergy in the Dakotas UMC, but I bet you could translate this into Lutheran or Presbyterian or Baptist or even Non-Denominational. Here’s the…
Apportionments
Rebecca Trefz and I did this video some time ago. While a lot of church leaders want to know where apportionments go, this video actually gets at the heart of what apportionment giving is all about. I figure that folks could just watch the budget video or read the budget if they want to know…
Learning to say “Thank you” with the IRS in mind
What’s the worst thing that could happen if I don’t keep the IRS in mind when issuing Giving Statements or something to acknowledge gifts? Well…the IRS could disallow the donors charitable tax deduction which would lead them to have to pay more taxes. This would probably lead to a ticked off donor who will likely…
Housing Allowance vs Housing Exclusion
This is always a difficult thing to explain…and keep straight after it’s been explained. The Designated Housing Exclusion is basically a tax loophole. It allows pastors to reduce their tax bill by having a part of their salary designated for housing. It doesn’t cost the church anything. If it’s not done, it will cost your…