Clergy Tax Tips

Coming Soon - CLERGY TAX FACTS is a reference tool that will strengthen your clergy tax knowledge. It gives you what you need -- all the information in one easy-to-use online resource.

  • 2006 Tax Tables
  • Capital Gain and losses
  • If a church has multiple ministers...
  • Special occasion offerings collected...
  • 2006 Mileage Rates
  • Filing 4361 late...

IRS Announces 2006 Standard Mileage Rates

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2006 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for ministry/business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

  • 44.5 cents per mile for ministry / business miles driven;
  • 18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, other than activities related to Hurricane Katrina relief.

The new rate for ministry/business miles compares to a rate of 40.5 cents per mile for the first eight months of 2005. In September, the IRS made a special one-time adjustment for the last four months of 2005, raising the rate for business miles to 48.5 cents per mile in response to a sharp increase in gas prices, which topped $3 a gallon.

"The IRS took the extraordinary step of temporarily increasing the standard mileage rates in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina". The 2006 mileage rates reflect that gas prices have dropped."

The standard mileage rates for ministry/business, medical and moving purposes are based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. Runzheimer International, an independent contractor, conducted the study for the IRS.

The mileage rate for charitable miles is set by statute.

For the first eight months of 2005, the standard rate for miles driven for medical or moving purposes was 15 cents per mile, and, except for special Hurricane Katrina rates, the standard rate for miles driven in service of a charitable organization was 14 cents per mile.

For the last four months of 2005, the agency raised the standard rate for miles driven for medical or moving purposes to 22 cents per mile. The standard rate for charitable miles remained at 14 cents per mile--except for charitable miles relating to Hurricane Katrina.