Non-deductible ministry meals & travel?
Non-deductible ministry meals & travel? Generally speaking, a deductible ministry expense must be “ordinary and necessary” for it to count as a write-off. Ordinary and necessary simply means it’s a common expense for someone in the ministry, and it’s essential for the operation of your church. Unfortunately, you can’t deduct all the food that you…
What is mileage reimbursement?
What is mileage reimbursement? Mileage reimbursement is the reimbursement you receive for using a personal vehicle for ministry purposes. The reimbursement covers all costs of owning and driving your vehicle for the qualified miles. The IRS mileage reimbursement covers the use of specific vehicles, namely: cars, vans, pickups, and panel trucks. Mileage reimbursement is normally…
Who should consider converting to a Roth IRA?
Who should consider converting to a Roth IRA? You must pay income taxes on any converted funds in the year of the conversion, but there are several scenarios in which that might be to your advantage: You believe your tax bracket will be higher in retirement. In this scenario, paying taxes at your current tax…
Employee Benevolence
Employee Benevolence When it comes to benevolence, the IRS makes a distinction between providing donations to people who lack the basic necessities of life (food, water, shelter, etc.) and awarding gifts to your employees. Gifts to the Needy Generally speaking, if your organization provides benevolence to someone in poverty or temporary distress, the IRS considers…
2023 Mileage Rate Announced
2023 Mileage Rate Announced WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2023 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, or panel…
Can I deduct the value of volunteer work?
Can I deduct the value of volunteer work? In short, there are certain tax benefits to take advantage of as a volunteer. In fact, any volunteer of a §501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization is entitled to receive deductible charitable contributions. Although no tax deduction is allowed for the value of the services performed for this type of…
Can I deduct the cost of a religion courses?
Can I deduct the cost of religion courses I took at church? It depends. If the church is an accredited school, you can deduct the tuition as your education expenses. Otherwise, you cannot. If you took the courses to prepare you for a new skill/work, they are not deductible either. However, if you work and the…
Can a Church Give an Employee Loan? During times of economic hardship, individuals may approach their employer and request a personal loan in order to help make ends meet. If an employee of a church requests a personal loan from the church, there are several issues to consider. As a matter of policy, will the…
The three best ways to contribute to charity
The three best ways to contribute to charity Cash Donations Outright gifts of cash (which include donations made via check, credit card, and payroll deduction) are the easiest. The key is to substantiate them. To be deductible, cash donations must be: Supported by a canceled check, credit card receipt, or written communication from the charity…
What is the Tax Treatment of Forgiven Student Loans?
What is the tax treatment of forgiven student loans? Now that President Biden has announced student loan relief, the state tax treatment of forgiven loans is of interest to many ministers. Ministers who have student loans forgiven are spared a federal tax bill, but not all states treat forgiven loans the same. A forgiven loan amount is…
