HSA Contributions Can Be Deductible, Even if You Don’t Itemize
If you contribute to an HSA, you may be able to deduct those payments from your total taxable income in 2018. Unlike regular medical expenses (which you don’t get to claim if you take the standard deduction), HSA contributions are taken as an adjustment to your income. Even if you take the standard deduction, HSA…
Guide to Minister’s Compensation
You may find it helpful to begin by considering the goals of a compensation package. A church should provide its staff with adequate income so that they can fulfill their roles without undue concern about current and future financial needs. Freedom from financial anxiety lets the minister focus on his or her service. It also helps your church…
Important Fringe Benefits for Ministers
A fringe benefit is any cash, property, or service that clergy employees receive from a congregation in addition to salary. All fringe benefits are taxable income to employees unless specifically exempted by the Internal Revenue Code. Many fringe benefits can be provided by a congregation to clergy without any dollar limitation (health insurance is an example), while other fringe benefits…
Can a church offer a Health FSA without a medical plan?
If the church has a group health plan, you may want to consider a Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA). A health flexible spending account (FSA) is a type of tax-advantaged medical account that reimburses employees for eligible health care expenses that are not covered by their health plans. Both employees and employers can contribute to a…
Advantages of a Premium Only Plan
If your employees pay a portion of their group insurance premiums, you may be able to reduce your payroll taxes, and give workers a little extra in their checks each and every payroll, by setting up premium only plan (POP) through payroll deductions for their share of insurance premiums. The Section 125 POP program is a…
Pre-tax Health Care Options (SHOP)
Your church may pay for all or a portion of the cost of SHOP coverage on a pre-tax basis. If you want employees to share in the cost of coverage, your church may use a cafeteria plan, as describe in Section 125. This would allow the employees to pay a portion of the SHOP premiums…
Marketplace/Exchange Health Coverage
Employees may apply for health coverage directly through the Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as the “Exchange”. Employees must pay for this coverage on a after-tax basis. Beginning, 2014, your church may not provide its employees with a pre-tax reimbursement for the cost of coverage obtained through the Exchange. However, it may increase an employee’s…
Health Care Reform Changes Effective July 1
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance (DOL technical release 2013-03 and IRS Notice 2013-54) that may impact how your church funds medical coverage for some employees. The guidance states that, effective July 1, 2015, organizations may no longer directly pay premiums for an individual health insurance policy [a health…
IRS Offer Temporary Relief For Churches That Pay Individual Health Premiums
IRS Clarifies Individual Health Plan Premium Reimbursements The IRS recently issued a notice that provides transitional relief to churches who provide reimbursements for their employees to purchase individual health insurance. Prior to this latest guidance, any reimbursed premiums and other medical reimbursement arrangements would be included as taxable income in 2014. As with all things…
Required Flu Shots?
Our staff comes in close contact with elderly clients in our business. Can we require our employees to get seasonal flu shots in order to protect the health of our clients? Generally speaking, if employees do not have employment or union contracts that alter the nature of their at-will employment, employers with a business reason…
