Nonprofit and Church Accounting Blog
This accounting blog...
- informs you when any new web pages appear on my site,
- shows you the latest question, comment, or tip posted by readers...(please feel free to browse the questions below and answer the ones you feel comfortable answering),
- let's you know when an error is found in my free financial spreadsheets and how to correct them.
Mar 22, 2020
Downpayment on new home
Can a minister who is currently renting while in between having sold their home and purchasing a new one use the down payment made in the purchase of their
Mar 22, 2020
Love Offering/Pastor's Aide for Elderly Retired Pastor
We give a monthly offering to our founding pastor who is elderly and does not file taxes. We describe this offering as pastor's aide. I understand
Continue reading "Love Offering/Pastor's Aide for Elderly Retired Pastor"
Mar 09, 2020
Love Offering during musical performance
I am a member of a musical group considering holding a concert at a local church. The group is a 501c3 nonprofit. If the church collects a free will
Mar 09, 2020
Receiving Social security benefits for secular employment while working as a minister
I have worked a secular job 20 years before becoming a minister if I file 4361 will I still be able to receive the benefits paid into social security
Mar 09, 2020
Ushers making change from the offering plate
I was recently told that, from the loose tithes/offerings in the offering plate, our ushers have been making change for people who do not have the exact
Continue reading "Ushers making change from the offering plate"
Feb 21, 2020
Top 5 Church Payroll Mistakes
Church payroll mistakes can be costly. Learn what to do and what not to do!
Feb 05, 2020
W3 reporting form for Pastors W2
if a pastor opts out of FICA, what does the church check on kind of filer on the W3. The church doesn't file a 941 or 944 report because there is nothing
Feb 05, 2020
Clergy retirement plan
The company pays for our Pastor's retirement plan, do I check the retirement box or leave blank?
Feb 05, 2020
How Do We Report Insufficient Salary?
We approved our Full-time Senior Pastor for a $36K 2019 Compensation package: $18K Salary/$18K HA but the church could only afford to pay him a little
Feb 05, 2020
Pastors Housing Allowance Annual Designation
If the housing allowance remains the same each year does it have to be recertified each year ?
Continue reading "Pastors Housing Allowance Annual Designation"
Feb 05, 2020
Can an ordained minister not receiving income from a ministry still claim housing allowance
My husband is an ordained ministry with a full-time non-ministry job, and also has a ministry to incarcerated inmates. He performs ministry part-time
Feb 05, 2020
housing allowance is more than pastor earned this year
our pastors wages for 2019 were 21,250.00, his housing allowance is 24,000.00. how do I show this on hisw2?
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Feb 05, 2020
Accounting software for small non-profit group
I am considering purchasing an accounting software for my non-profit group. Our monthly transactions are between 5 - 15 entries per month. What do you
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Feb 05, 2020
Paying half of ministers health insurance deductible...taxable?
we as a church pay half of ministers $2500 medical insurance deductible. This is not done through the insurance company it is part of our agreement with
Continue reading "Paying half of ministers health insurance deductible...taxable?"
Jan 20, 2020
Can you buy a desktop version of Aplos and if so, what is the cost?
Can you purchase Aplos church software in a desktop version and if so, how much is it and does it come with any support?
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Jan 19, 2020
Is it illegal in the state of TN for a church to pay its bills with cash?
I recently tried paying the church I serve as pastor’s bill at the local Christian bookstore and was told it was against the law in Tennessee for a church
Continue reading "Is it illegal in the state of TN for a church to pay its bills with cash?"
Jan 19, 2020
Membership Loan
We have allowed members to borrow money from the church without interest. They pay the loan back. I wanted to know if this is legal? When they pay the
Jan 19, 2020
We have an interim pastor should we issue a W2 or 1099 for his services?
We have an interim pastor should he receive a W2 or 1099 for his services?
Continue reading "We have an interim pastor should we issue a W2 or 1099 for his services?"
Jan 19, 2020
When renovating clergy home, is temporary housing in an apartment acceptable allowance?
When renovating clergy home, is temporary housing in an apartment an acceptable allowance?
Jan 19, 2020
employers contribution to 403b
I am preparing W-2s for the pastors in QuickBooks and it is NOT including the Employers 403B contribution in box 12 on the W-2. Is this correct? It is
Jan 19, 2020
Two pastors Two amounts of housing allowances-How to Handle
One pastor needs $1,000 and the other needs $2,000, so if the board wants to pay the lower amount to both, how is the higher expense pastor to handle the
Continue reading "Two pastors Two amounts of housing allowances-How to Handle"
Jan 19, 2020
Reporting a Housing Allowance Only
We are a very small church, 20 in attendance on a Sunday, we only give our pastor a small housing allowance. Does a W2 need to be done for this? If so
Jan 19, 2020
Housing Expenses for More Than One Home?
When retired may a minister include housing expenses for a primary and secondary (seasonal) residence?
Jan 15, 2020
Recording church member cash gifts
We are in encountering a situation that we don’t have an answer for. For an example. Our youth ministry has a budget for $1,000. A couple then donates
Jan 08, 2020
1099 to S Corp instead of indiviual
We have an interim minister that we paid as a contract employee. I was planning on issuing him a 1099. He has asked me to issue the 1099 to his wife's
Jan 08, 2020
Are minister's predetermined charitable contributions to his own church not included in taxable income on W2?
I have a new client who is a minister. He has made an agreement with his church that they will take a predetermined amount from his salary, donate it to
Jan 08, 2020
Endowment donation
We received an endowment from a former member. The check reads endowment. Does this mean the church cannot touch the principal of the donation and can
Jan 08, 2020
Can our pastor be paid in cash for his housing allowance as a one time yearly payout?
Can our pastor be paid in cash for his housing allowance as a one time yearly payout?
Jan 01, 2020
Gifts for Volunteers
Need clarification please! Confusion over employee or not? If we were to give the children's church leader and the choir director (both volunteers
Need training on how to use QBO or Aplos effectively for a church or better yet ...need an expert in either of those accounting software to do your monthly bookkeeping and/or payroll? See more on our accounting services!
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