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WHO IS A MINISTER FOR FEDERAL TAX PURPOSES?
ARE MINISTERS EMPLOYEES OR SELF-EMPLOYED FOR FEDERAL TAX PURPOSES?
The IRS has its own criteria for determining who is a Minister for Tax Purposes. The criteria the IRS uses to determine who is a minister are not necessarily the same as those used by churches and denominations. Whether or not one qualifies as a Minister for Tax Purposes
is a very important question, since special tax and reporting rules apply to ministers under federal tax law. These rules include:
- Eligibility for housing allowances
- Self-employed status for Social Security
- Exemption of wages from income tax withholding (ministers use the quarterly estimated tax procedure to pay their taxes, unless they elect voluntary withholding)
- Eligibility under very limited circumstances to exempt themselves from SECA
The new Form 1040 is different from its predecessors in several ways, including the following:
1. It is half the size of the previous Form 1040 and consists of two half-pages.
2. Health care coverage (mandatory through 2018) is reported by checking a box on page 1 (it was reported on line 61 on the 2017 form).
3. All personal exemptions were repealed after 2017, and so there is no way to claim them on the 2018 Form 1040.
4. Some lines have been consolidated. For example, several items of income, capital gains, rental income, etc., are consolidated
now from Schedule 1 and reported on line 6.
5. Wages are now reported on line 1 (instead of line 7 as in past years).
6. AGI is reported on line 7 and without detail on the form (instead of line 37 as in past years).
7. The standard deduction is reported on line 8 and is significantly larger than in 2017 ($12,000 for unmarried persons and $24,000 for married persons filing jointly).
8. Several credits are now reported on Schedule 3 and consolidated on line 12b (they were reported on separate lines in 2017).
9. Many lines in the previous Form 1040 have been deleted and transferred to various schedules. In fact, the 79 lines on the 2017 Form 1040 have been reduced to 23, a reduction of more than 50 lines.
The Tax Court test
The United States Tax Court has created a seven-factor test for determining whether a minister is an employee or self-employed for federal income tax reporting purposes. The test requires consideration of the following seven factors: (1) the degree of control exercised by the employer over the details of the work; (2) which party invests in the facilities used in the work; (3) the opportunity of the individual for profit or loss; (4) whether or not the employer has the right to discharge the individual; (5) whether the work is part of the employer’s regular business; (6) the permanency of the relationship; and (7) the relationship the parties believe they are creating. Most ministers will be employees under this test.
Varnel Watson
https://scontent.fbna1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51645284_10216924233074592_6617017540398809088_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fbna1-2.fna&oh=d00f8f173be593534c0689cd5c35776f&oe=5CB6E2AE
Varnel Watson
its a mess this year Alan Smith Jim Price Link Hudson
Varnel Watson
For one ALL ministers are considered self-employed therefore you pay taxes as self-employed Jim Price Jimmy Humphrey
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson you may be happy to know that 2 child credits are now on the scale again However things are NOT looking good for ministers… http://churchinfluence.com/9-habits-for-pastors-in-2019/
Varnel Watson
The bias in the media really irks me too Link Hudson Jim Price NO one is addressing how churches and ministers will much poorer after April 15
Varnel Watson
https://scontent.fbna1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36550648_10217124241402266_769325202168348672_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&_nc_ht=scontent.fbna1-2.fna&oh=47ac4311b683493132c1388b22265871&oe=5CF0E034
Varnel Watson
overall percentage of churches operating in the black—income EXCEEDS expenses—declined in almost every region. https://www.churchlawandtax.com/images/43067.jpg
Varnel Watson
nice map Terry Wiles
Terry Wiles
Troy Day most in New England do not promote tithing.
Varnel Watson
seems like California too from the graph
Varnel Watson
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the 2019 standard mileage rates. Beginning January 1, 2019, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 58 cents per mile for ministry or business miles driven, up from 54.5 cents for 2018 20 cents per mile driven for medical
Clergy pay social security as self-employed
Determining the correct social security tax for clergy is often confusing. Clergy pay social security tax under the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA), not under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). Clergy engaged in the exercise of ministry are always treated as self-employed for social security tax purposes.
Who Is a Minister?
When a church hires an employee, one of the initial decisions that must be made is whether to treat the worker as clergy, non-clergy employee or contractor. This decision may seem insignificant, but it has huge implications when it comes to payroll. Ministers have what is commonly referred to as “dual tax status.”
Varnel Watson
VIP Clergy Housing Lands in Seventh Circuit
Churches and the IRS joined forces Wednesday before a sympathetic Seventh Circuit panel to argue that a 65-year-old income tax housing exemption for clergy members does not violate the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. “The court has to take history into account,” said attorney Luke Goodrich of the nonprofit law firm Becket
Varnel Watson
guess so much for wining Jim Price Nelson Banuchi
Varnel Watson
Rick Warner Link Hudson Jim Price cant do misc. deductibles since 2018; can list housing but not uniform except if required as Catholics who dont pay taxes anyway Thanks Trump Alan Smith
Link Hudson
Troy Day have your board vote you a mandatory blue suit.
Varnel Watson
I dont have a board and a suit is specifically given as example that cannot be itemized anylonger. Also private jet, tank, submarine, space shuttle AND you cannot go on a 3-month trip to EU or Asia preach ones to your family Bible study and call it an expense 🙂
Link Hudson
Troy Day they said no trip to Asia and preach once to a family member? It said no submarine?
Varnel Watson
Church are not to give reimbursements of a spouse’s travel expenses
incurred while accompanying a minister on a business
trip (unless the spouse’s presence serves a legitimate
business purpose and the spouse’s expenses are reim-
bursed under an accountable arrangement)
Example: Pastor J goes on a trip to Asia. He is in
Asia for 10 days and conducts one-hour worship
services on two of those days. Pastor J will not be able
to claim a charitable contribution deduction for the
travel expenses that he incurs in making this trip. The
same rule would apply if Pastor J’s spouse or children
go along on the trip
Link Hudson
Troy Day wow. Is that a quote from the IRS? Who got rid of this stuff? Is it from new legislation or administrative law from the IRS?
Btw, your example was not about the spouse. If he could deduct the plane ticket but not her it makes sense for them to not allow deducting her airfare unless she were doing something there. But then you would be able to deduct the hotel.
What if the pastor was doing a church seminar and sold books at the back, and wrote that up on a schedule C as a business. Could he write off 7 yeats of losses as a book salesman?
What about evangelists? Can they deduct expenses for their trips.
This can force preachers to be tentmakers. Go to Asia to open an MLM downline and write that off then preach on the trip.
If this is just administrative law based on IRS interpretations it may be subject to a lawsuit. That would be ironic since Trump is friendly toward some of the types of pteachers that might want a jet.
Varnel Watson
NO I try not to quote from the IRS because since Trump won they say this on the form and change it 2 months later
Link Hudson
Troy Day no what? Do you have a tax accountant?
Varnel Watson
I kind of have to have several of those just to make sure it is all in order. As you have noticed we start our taxes earlier Do you know the only open tax venue for ministers now is housing and churches push everything under housing which is also illegal Also it has to be voted by the church BEFOREHAND at the start of the year in order to be legal at all as a housing expense list
Link Hudson
Troy Day could it be a strategy of liberals in the IRS to get preachers to oppose the POTUS. If so some of those preachers should talk to him about it so hecould threaten to station the trouble makers in Alaska.
Varnel Watson
I have a larger overview of the issue which you can analyze from a financial points of view BUT I will need some more time later on today to summarize fr the group here
Housing for religious purposes has been challenged in court as we speak and may be no more if the court rules. I posted the link above I think and I have to dig it out again
Also the 501c3 challenge that started under Bush W and exploded under Obama because of the non profit tea-party non profits is now carried over the church – religious organizations in general
Not to mention ALL govt. help items are made super hard to apply for and be approved especially if your native language is not English – it is a mess The whole Tax reform in general as Jim Price already pointed out Social Security has been going down the drain BUT for churches and clergy it is turning to be pretty pretty bad
Link Hudson
Looks like it is from legislation but maybe not aimed at pastors per se. What if the church had a teimbursement fund and if the pastor itemized, he could contribute to his own reimbursement fund by earmarking it for whatever he was going to spend, write that off donation, then take the reimbursement. Do you have to report what funds were earmarked for? The IRS might jot like the earmarking. It might look better if multiple people used the funds for ministry and gave to it. Requires keeping up with expenses and not taking the standard deduction if you want donations to reduce income. There are limis to deductable contributions.
If a church can reimburse for that 5K ministry trip to Taiwan, you put $5K in the church fund. You get reimbursedby the chrch. Does that work for overseas trips? If you maxed out the deduction for charitable contributions it won’t help.
https://www.churchlawandtax.com/blog/2018/march/churches-can-no-longer-itemize-deductions-business-expenses.html
Varnel Watson
the item deduction is not and there is no case no more It was settled that it canNOT be deducted no more as of 2018 BUT the housing for religious case is in court right now and very much against pastors
Your reference for reimbursement fund is s straman in this OP of course No one has argued that for years The point for churches and clergy is that it cannot be MISC itemization which was allowed before
Again, the list of this tax reform goes on and on if there is interest to discuss it
Varnel Watson
Rick Warner Unreimbursed employee business expenses subject to th
2 percent AGI foor included such items as:
• Overnight out-of-town travel
• Local transportation
• Meals (subject to a 50 percent AGI foor)
• Entertainment (subject to a 50 percent AGI foor)
• Home offce expenses
• Business gifts
• Dues to professional societies
• Work-related education
• Work clothes and uniforms if required and not suitabl
for everyday use
• Malpractice insurance
• Subscriptions to professional journals and trade maga
zines related to the taxpayer’s work
• Equipment and supplies used in the taxpayer’s work
Rick Warner
sorry have no clue to what you are talking about
Varnel Watson
Rick Warren to the comment you made about house and clothing items as deductible Do you need me to point you to your own comment ?
Rick Warner
Troy Day Mr Troy…..i have terminal brain fart disease…it 930a here had breakfast at 7a and i dont remember even what i had for breakfast…you can do what is pleasing to you
Varnel Watson
We are aware of your condition and have referred you for treatment to our dear George Hartwell
Rick Warner
Troy Day i have been to 5 of them…..my condition is undiagnosable…not in the text books…i am just leaving my brain to scientist, in hopes a cure can be found for those following me
Varnel Watson
referring to your comment
Do you know that the shoes u buy for your work is a tax deductible?
http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/enemy-strongholds/
such are NOT deductible anylonger
Rick Warner
Troy Day have taken off a pair of Tennis shoes each year for 45 years as i wear them in the medical world
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson Jim Price PART 1
I know I made a note of that back in the day but with 50 000 comments is hard to find it so here is the brief version
1. gas is down but milk is still up and so is everything else – makes no economic sense except that gas we remember from Bush W. aint the same gas no more just 85%
2. medicare was repelled BUT on your taxes you STILL get penalized for not having medicare – hurts clergy first especially the ones who believe in no doctoral / medical help for religious reasons
3. medicare is challenged on every level like car settlement They send a letter says they made a mistake but you STILL have to prove to them that they made a mistake with your papers and prove over and over again you are in the right to receive help EVEN if its obvious that a family of 4 with $25-30 should obviously be automatically approved
4. food stamps are out of the question BUT at other help programs are also discouraged The coupons system is now replaced by an electronic card poor families slide at the cashier. IF any item they have picked is not on the approved list it is charged toward their bill – ie is NOT free and is hard to return or exchange it is a done deal and if you missed it you cant get it no more
5. GOD forbid you are foreign and cannot fully understand the lingo on the govt. forms you are screwed. There is NO way to appeal approvals once you fill the form Changes take months and are delayed for ever
6. 1040 form is half of page but refers to 3 times more schedules than before and each of them refer to a dozen separate work sheets – I will have to continue with the tax issue on a separate page Remember thats why the forms were late last year
7. child credit (BOTH of them) is a mess – this hurts churches and church families which historically have more children than other 2 and a dog families Also, child credits are delayed across the line for no apparent reason – just delay and make money off it
finally
– the wall is not built migration is out of control
– hate rules the country
– gay marriage is still a law
– LEGAL abortions are on the up and up and rising
– nuclear war is still a thing
– cold war is returning
– persecution of Christians is ignored and left to be
Varnel Watson
ALSO Link Hudson NOT Same Price for Prescription Drugs Everywhere
Varnel Watson
PART 2 Link Hudson Jim Price Terry Wiles
VIP Clergy Housing Lands in Seventh Circuit
Churches and the IRS joined forces Wednesday before a sympathetic Seventh Circuit panel to argue that a 65-year-old income tax housing exemption for clergy members does not violate the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. “The court has to take history into account,” said attorney Luke Goodrich of the nonprofit law firm Becket
Varnel Watson
CHILD TAX CREDIT
The new tax reform bill doubles the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000, makes more of it refundable, and expands eligibility.
How would that look for the family with 3 children in the example above? They will get $6,000 in tax credits, so they will be better off than under the previous law even though their standard deduction is $8,950 less.
Is this true now? Link Hudson
Varnel Watson
PART 3 MISCELLANEOUS – see sched. C Link Hudson
There are a few other notable parts of the tax bill that may or may not affect you:
Unreimbursed Business Expenses. You will no longer be able to deduct unreimbursed business expenses on Schedule A. If you file Schedule C, you can still deduct them as business expenses.
Alimony Treatment. The tax treatment of alimony has changed and will benefit the recipient, not the payer.
Moving Expenses. You will no longer be able to deduct moving expenses, except for some members of the military.
Elderly and Dependent Care Credit. A $500 nonrefundable credit will be available to those with dependents not eligible for the Child Care Tax Credit. This could include older children or parents. This also expires in 2025.
Link Hudson
What if they’d just applied the changes to Reformed clergy?
Varnel Watson
well they aint applying them to catholics because they dont make enough money to pay taxes YET the make 6 figures on expenses – so maybe thats the goal
According to IRS Publication 526, you cannot claim more than 50 percent of your adjusted gross income as charitable deductions.
As long as you itemize your deductions, you can generally claim 100 percent of your church donations as a deduction.
https://compasscatholic.org/tax-planning-seeing-money-paycheck/
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson I would like to hear from all who claimed this tax reform is good for the church. So far it has been only making the church poorer
Link Hudson
Troy Day who claimed that?
Varnel Watson
who did not – like dozen and a half in this group alone You cant seriously expect me to believe you dont remember?
Link Hudson
Troy Day I do not read all tge tax or Trump thread. You directed the last post to me. So U asked the question.
Varnel Watson
and I answered it But I am not going 1-2 yrs back and dig you all the praises You can learn to do that yourself – it is turning to be a 1-2 week pattern to no avail
Link Hudson
Troy Day I am not interested. I asked because you tagged meas if to imply I had posted in favor of it.
Varnel Watson
no it does not mean that in no universe either
Link Hudson
Troy Day that is a likely interpretation to many of us who do not live in the universe of your mind. This isa nuetral subject. But if one posts something like “Christians should not shoot up and beat their wives Troy Day.” other people may interpret that to imply the tagged person might be a wife-beating drug user. Ask 10 or 20 other people if that is the dase.
Varnel Watson
So what? And who cares about that? There were plenty praising the tax reform You were not one – good deal NOW what do you think about the actual OP and all the info that has been presented so far? for churches and clergy – not just reformed
Link Hudson
Troy Day well, whether I like it or not I still have to pay, but it looks like it is probably going to hit a lot of pastors hard who itemized before.
Link Hudson
Usually some benefit from tax reform and some suffer. I am not sue who benefits this time.
Varnel Watson
tell us ALL about them loopholes Jimmy Humphrey do our capitalist hearts some good so we can sleep better tonight
Rick Warner
Troy Day do you sit on the left hand side of God, you see to be all knowing…..
Varnel Watson
your recognition comes both highly and timely
Varnel Watson
What do you think, theologically, about Trumps tax that gives huge tax breaks to the very rich and will very likely put more burden in one way or the other on the working class? RT Jim Price No law says that the president has to reveal his taxes but since he likes to brag about his wealth you have to wonder if there isn’t something in the wood pile. Many of his debtors might be shocked at little his true wealth is and many who he has bankrupted on would be mad if he truly is worth 10 billion or so. A lot of different people might well see his return in a different way.
Louise Cummings
Troy Day I personally think the rich should help the poor. I’m not for putting more tax on the poor. I can see what he’s saying about some things if he is going to help the poor. Because many are struggling to get by now. Some things he speaks of sounds good. But not making higher tax for the poor and Churches.
Robert Erwine
We need to tax the church!
Varnel Watson
says who? – never been done in America before
Link Hudson
How about we get the government just to double tax anyone named, or has ever been named Robert Erwine? The special Robert Erwine tax law? 🙂
Why would you wish more taxes on anyone
Robert Erwine
Special Robert erwine tax!
Varnel Watson
in a way Link Hudson this reforms more than doubles tax in 20 yrs The trick is another reform with take place before that and you and I will never get our SS moneys back
Link Hudson
Tax reform good for me this year if refund will process.
Varnel Watson
Robert Erwine a proposed CHURCH tax will interfere with our Constitution – last I checked still says WE the people…
Nora Neel-Toney
Ask a Tax or Accountant
Varnel Watson
well lets see what Charles Page thinks about it
Charles Page
I have no idea what Trump’s tax reform is for anyone. I know we got $900 back on 2018 and the tax preparer exclaimed “thank Trump!”
Varnel Watson
that was fast – tax day being today Link
Link Hudson
I have put in quite a bit of time. I have to re-do some past stuff, two US tax years. I have an Indonesian tax year to do, too. They wouldn’t take a paper return, and the Indonesian language online system doesn’t follow the forms.
Link Hudson
Troy Day I think I may have spent a whole work-week worth of hours on taxes. I hope it doesn’t turn into a month with revising some old tax forms. If I fill an old one out differently, I may get money back.
Varnel Watson
and I spent more than that b/c your income is not clergy / ministerial; The half page card type of thing in the new format turns to be a pain with many schedules to add to it BUT I told you this already back in January when they put it out How is the child credit EIC + additional child credit this year?
Jim Price
All I know is that as a retiree I paid tax this year for the first time since I retired. There is no box for S.S. in this years form.
Varnel Watson
I am staying out of this one Jim 🙂 but there was SS box on the 1040 form + federal tax on line 5a https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf
Jerome Herrick Weymouth
Under Obama $12,000 standard deduction, under Trump $24,000 standard deduction. Last year paid $666.00, This year I get back close to $800.00 refund… President Trumps plan better!!!
Varnel Watson
you get or you got it?
Link Hudson
For you maybe.
I got some progress on this year’s refund. It went from received to still being process and a refund date will be provided. Tomorrow is 21 days, the normal time for them to process. Maybe not turning in 2017 is delaying it. I didn’t owe and my wife invested in something weird and I had to decipher the Indonesian company’s data with no 1099Bs or anything since it’s overseas. I think I’ve got it figured out sort of but not completed, but it means redoing 2016. Forms I’ve never read before. Pleas pray. I need to do some real work.
Varnel Watson
from child credit or additional child credit or both ? I HEARD millions of ppl did NOT file last year for their 2017 tax – can you even do that?
Link Hudson
Troy Day 2018 is additional child tax credit, I think. 2016 might have 45 from child tax credit in addition to the additional child tax credit, but I need to go over it again and make sure I did it right.
ACTC is bigger now.
Jerome Herrick Weymouth
The non profit group did my
taxes for me, told me that we could amend our previous 3 year taxes if needed.
Varnel Watson
HOW is this tax reform affecting church FUNDS – members spend more money on taxes and less on the church or vice versa ? Jim Price Jerome Herrick Weymouth I think it affected Link church cause he had to stay home and do taxes so he couldnt attend Palm Sunday
Link Hudson
Like I wrote before, my daughter had just gotten home from the hospital. She got back the afternoon before, then my wife and I were up with her really late as she was still suffering, and got little sleep. We had both spent time in the hospital, and we were tired and ended up sleeping in.
Varnel Watson
you were tired from doing taxes all week 🙂
Link Hudson
Instead of putting in the offering plate, put in an envelope and put it in the preacher’s (pastor, evangelist, missionary’s, etc.) hand with a note that says, “This gift is a personal gift from me to you as from a brother in Christ. It is not given to you as clergy. It is a personal gift exempt from taxes up to $10,000.”
You just gave maybe 20% more money that way.
Varnel Watson
nope – cant do that no more You dont seem to be well aware with the clergy tax change in the past 2 yrs
Link Hudson
So what changed about that?
Varnel Watson
WHAT capacity NOT how it was given to you
Link Hudson
Troy Day You wouldn’t happen to have a line from the IRS or the law would you?
Btw, if the individual says, “I give this to you in your capacity as a fellow brother in Christ” there you go.
Varnel Watson
The instructions on clergy gifts this year are not just a line – It starts with separating your income on the mane 1040 between W2 and 1099s
once you get into the 1099s you start having schedule after schedule incl. self employed tax; but No it is not one single line You have to read the complete instructions and it make sense after the instructions send you to 4-5 other pages. Sometimes they say this it will be explained later but it doesnt and you have to look for it other places more relevant As per the clergy gifts there is a whole worksheet on capacity of receiving the gift and if you are already church employed clergy you may just forget taking the rout you are suggesting
Link Hudson
Troy Day they sure take a lot of people’s time with those tax forms. I probably have a solid full time work week of taxes ahead of me. The Indonesian online system is awful. It is like Turbo tax questions but you gave to answer questions about tax laws not the form…in Indonesian
Varnel Watson
the new tax refers to your receiving in WHAT capacity NOT how it was given to you Link Hudson makes great deal of difference NOT to mention what you just described lacks any accountability
Link Hudson
Aren’t the capacity and how it was given related? Tax accounting is its own field and I am not an accountant. Two courses does not an accountant make.
If brothers can still give ‘Pentecostal handshakes to nonclergy can’t clergy recieve them. There are lots of bi vo people who do not fit neatly in the clergy hox, too. If you refuse support is this an issue for you? Were you deducting gas but not taking a salary?
Varnel Watson
apparently not – have you received it as a clergy? Then a 1099 is in order – plain and simple – there is a special coding of various clergy professional fields too But this is not entirely Trump’s going Obama and even before him somewhat started then 501c3 questioning – first for the Tea Party organizations which is c1 or c2 I forget and now for the c3 – religious
Varnel Watson
Receiving over $600 gift without 1099 as a clergy is taxable and all
Link Hudson
As a clergy? What if grandma gifts you money? What if you are ordained work as an assistant, or not at all in ministry, and work in a factory for a living? Do you have to report grandma’s 9000 gift?
Charles Page
no, only if her gift exceeds 10K
Varnel Watson
not true anymore $600 is the limit or you need 1099 IF the gift is accepted in the capacity of a clergy like Link suggested earlier Link your question about grandma is uncapacitated – your original scenario included a member giving a love offering to the pastor and the pastor receiving it as a clergy – there is a major difference between the 2 categories you are describing and you should know that well from business school
Link Hudson
Troy Day No my first scenario was someone giving a love gift not as clergy, but as a nontaxable gift, ‘a personal gift from me to you as from a brother in Christ.’ It is given as a brother, not as a parishoner. Others in the congregation don’t have to pay tax on it. We can modify the scenario so the note will include, “This is given as a personal gift, not as a gift to you in the capacity of clergy.”
There you go.
Varnel Watson
as clergy and non-taxable cant go together no more Anything and everything received in the capacity of clergy over $600 comes with 1099 or else I’ve heard some pastor/preachers counting it as house allowance BUT this is being attacked in courts across the country as well
BTW what you are suggesting Link is very dangerous too Most denominations will not allow that anyway for luck of accountability and rightfully so Are you suggesting those gifts come from the 10% given by members? How would the members claim this so called gift on their taxes?
Link Hudson
‘recieved in the capacity of clergy’. Is that he wording?
I didn’t say anything about 10%. And this would be gifts the giver would not plan on claiming of course. This is a personal gift. The standard deduction can be pretty hefty, and you can only deduct so much if you itemize anyway. Itemizing let’s the government know what you are giving.
Louise Cummings
I don’t remember hearing the news on what he said about that. So I really don’t know.
Varnel Watson
NO Jim Price churches are hurt more on local level
via Jake Frierson And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Daniel 8:25
TAXES cannot be done early AGAIN in 2020
though forms are out – directions on HOW to be filled are still in DRAFT as Jan 2020
new tax form for seniors on the 1040 may be of help for William DeArteaga Ray E Horton and others HOWEVER for the most it is another NEW mess
1040 is still pretty short comparing to 2018 and prior
schedules are avoided in a CRAFTY way by adding a,b,c choices or in other words just more bureaucracy and nomenclature
GAS is high up and increasing with IRAN
pay checks in 2019 were much lower as a payment though some govt compensations helped with the higher standard deduction BUT for ministry org. who itemize it was a bad bad draft
medical care is NOT mandatory anymore as it seems
Should churches stop being 501(c)3? Ricky Grimsley what other options are OUT there http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/should-churches-stop-being-501c3/
Stephen Mills
No!
Varnel Watson
Stephen Mills I concur – share your experience pls
Varnel Watson
James P Bowers Jim Price Ray E Horton this is WRONG on so many levels I really dont know WHERE to begin Its just NOT true Just look at your tax forms this year for starters https://www.atr.org/thanks-trump-median-household-income-highest-level-ever?fbclid=IwAR0hWMWexFSpVHjKjGqg6NqYMyZxus7pZR7cBncV-0R02YNSVx5yicBGVFg
Ray E Horton
Troy Day Don’t know you are getting your info that this is untrue. It’s based on latest Labor Dept.
facts. What’s the problem with simply acknowledging that he’s doing a great job with the economy?
Varnel Watson
Ray E Horton clergy and churches are hurt more on local level
And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Daniel 8:25
TAXES cannot be done early AGAIN in 2020
though forms are out – directions on HOW to be filled are still in DRAFT as Jan 2020
new tax form for seniors on the 1040 may be of help for William DeArteaga Ray E Horton and others HOWEVER for the most it is another NEW mess
1040 is still pretty short comparing to 2018 and prior
schedules are avoided in a CRAFTY way by adding a,b,c choices or in other words just more bureaucracy and nomenclature
GAS is high up and increasing with IRAN
pay checks in 2019 were much lower as a payment though some govt compensations helped with the higher standard deduction BUT for ministry org. who itemize it was a bad bad draft
medical care is NOT mandatory anymore as it seems
Should churches stop being 501(c)3? Ricky Grimsley what other options are OUT there http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/should-churches-stop-being-501c3/
Varnel Watson
Some of the ideas being forwarded by the Democrats (e.g., debt cancellation of school loans, etc.) hark back to notions about Jubilee.
In our current world, I don’t know that we will ever get to the place where we cancel debt on a broad scale. After all, if a doctor has their school loans cancelled, the blue collar workers are going to complain that the doctor, making far mare money, got a free ride, while the blue collar workers, who are just as much in need of debt relief, got nothing.
BUT WHAT IF….
It came to me that what if we did one of two things (or both): we just had an across the board debt PAUSE for say three months? You don’t owe anything extra. You simply don’t have to pay anything for, say, March. You then get back to paying your bills in April, but your amortization is just extended by a month.
OR…
Or a debt CANCELLATION of, say, one or two months? That is, you NEVER have to pay that part back.
Creditors are issued the same opportunity. That is, they don’t have to pay THEIR creditors for those months, either.
Would this be of benefit? If not, why not?
Lastly, what if we America not only extended that to our foreign debtors, but at the same time, took a pause from paying our own debts?
It seems to me that if EVERYONE is being given the same deal, we are not doing any lasting or dramatic damage to anyone. Consider a poor country that is struggling to stay solvent. It gets this pause to catch their breath (or to not pay at all). Might we not see some sort of significant benefit from this in the world economy?
n Israel, debt cancellation was set up as a part of the law before they went into the land and started using the land. Their financial decisions could take it into account.
What would happen if the US suddenly decided to do this? Probably:
– US T-Bills and other instruments would drop in value, not just in proportion to the lack of revenue in year seven, but due to a lack of confidence because in the sudden change in the rules.
– The value of the dollar and US assets would drop in the world market.
– Some serious economic ramifications because of the previous two points.
– Many individuals, including land owners, who live off of the payments that are cancelled would be poor, stand in line at the food back, go bankrupt, etc.
– Many REITs and other corporations that collect rents would go bankrupt.
– The value of the stocks of companies in the previous point would drop, affecting retirees and others that depend on them.
– Lending would drop to low levels.
– Our current economic system could unravel.
– There could be an economic crisis worse than the great depression.
Varnel Watson
BY ACCEPTING FEDERAL AID, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS MAY SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO STATE LAW MANDATES.
Under some state laws, acceptance of government aid – even federal aid – triggers new legal obligations and restrictions. For example, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) generally prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. CADA expressly exempts “any religious organization” from these requirements. But the exemption is lost if the organization “is supported in whole or in part by money raised by taxation or public borrowing.” C.R.S. § 24-34-402(7).
Even without this exemption, CADA still permits religious organizations to select employees based upon religious preference. But as with Title VII, this may not permit an employer to discriminate based on other protected classes, such as sexual orientation and gender identity.
Most Colorado churches and ministries aren’t subject to CADA because they’re not supported by government aid. But accepting PPP or EIDL loans could change that and cause an organization to lose at least some of its religious exemption.
BE CAREFUL
Many religious organizations find themselves in dire straits as a result of this crisis. And each will have to balance the economic threat to their operations with the legal risks that come with accepting the government’s help. Every church and ministry will have decide for itself how to strike that balance. But each should go into it with eyes wide open, mindful of the potential costs to their mission and values. As always, you should consult with an attorney regarding your specific situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NhKH91nvJg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3_Hqh8KmCrHvi8KJBTO8aKaPJ0ifa76Zurzmqi5o5WGPCUjFk2q3jOOIs
Aaron Oviatt
Troy Day this is idiotic to say the least.
Varnel Watson
Aaron Oviatt the president or what?
Aaron Oviatt
Troy Day no. Best president in history.