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• The minister should keep records and receipts of allowable housing expenses they incur throughout the year.
• The minister should track how much parsonage allowance they have received compared to the actual allowable housing expenses they have incurred.
• The minister should update their Parsonage Request Form to increase or decrease the amount of parsonage they're receiving when their year-to-date allowable housing costs are significantly different than the parsonage amount they have been receiving.
• When filing their taxes, any excess parsonage allowance paid to the employee, should be shown as income on Form 1040 (see the Zondervan Minister's Tax Guide for additional details of this process). 

Important Implications and Restrictions of Parsonage when Buying/Refinancing a Home

• Mortgage lenders require parsonage (housing allowances) be verifiable and reliable income. Each mortgage lender applies its own guidelines when considering housing allowances. Some mortgage lenders may not include an applicant's housing allowance income simply as a matter of lending policy.

• Before applying for a mortgage, ask the lender if it considers non-traditional income, such as the parsonage (housing allowance) income you're paid. * If your parsonage (housing allowance) income is stable and consistently paid, with a verifiable track record of payment, a mortgage lender usually will count it as income.

• FHA loan lending restrictions - Parsonage may be considered as qualifying income for a FHA loan if there is documentation that the income has been received for the most recent 12 months and the allowance is likely to continue for the next three years. *Reliant may be able to provide a letter (upon request) stating we are an "at will" employer but to the best of our knowledge an employee is stably employed and eligible to receive the Ministers housing allowance in to the future.   

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