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Settling-in Bonus

Who is eligible?

A settling-in bonus is intended for missionaries when they report to their new assignment.  It allows them to pay for extra personal expenses that would normally be considered "personal" or salary items.  Things like: 

• • deposits on housing
  • furniture and household goods
  • rent-finder fees
  • deposits and prepayments of utilities

International Missionaries with GCM who have been released to assignment and are either leaving for their overseas location or have just arrived at their overseas location are eligible to request a settling-in bonus.  On occasion, if the staff member did not request enough funding in the initial settling in bonus, they can request a second settling-in bonus for additional expenses with GCM approval.

How do I request this bonus?

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International Missionaries request this bonus by completing the International Bonus Request for Moving

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or Vehicle Form.  Once completed, he or she should send this form to international@gcmweb.org.  

What expenses can I include in this bonus?

Include any expenses that the missionary will incur as they are settling-in to their new overseas assignment like furniture, initial deposits for apartments or utilities, apartment finder fees, furniture and household goods, housewares, appliances, bicycle, initial deposit for schooling if applicable, etc.  Some expenses like shipping costs, special equipment, etc. can be covered by reimbursements instead of by the settling-in bonus.

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What happens if my expenses on the field are more or less than the bonus amount I received?

We encourage staff to work with their receiving organizations/churches to estimate their initial settling-in expenses to the best of their ability.  However, if the expenses incurred are less than the bonus amount you received, we encourage staff to keep the extra bonus funding and use it for future expenses that they may need or may have reimbursed without needing to submit a future reimbursement.  If the expenses exceed the bonus amount received, you may submit one additional settling-in bonus offset to make up the difference.

How often can I request this bonus?

You will only request this bonus once when initially settling-in to the host country, unless the initial bonus did not cover the full amount needed for settling-in.  In that case, you could request a second settling-in bonus to cover the difference of your actual expenses minus what you already received.The missionary may seek additional funds for Settling-in bonus through a written request and explanation to International@gcmweb.org.  As always, approval depends on funds being available in the MTD account, as well as judgment of MR and the local supervisor. 

What about taxes?

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The settling-in bonus is taxable, so you will want to include a line item for the taxes that will be withheld from the bonus on your paycheck.

1. 1. Social Security and Medicare:  Include a line item of 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare.  Do not include the Social Security and Medicare tax line item if you are ordained or commissioned and have opted out of the Social Security System.  Do include an additional 7.65% to cover the employer portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes if you are ordained or commissioned and have stayed in the Social Security System. 
   2. Federal Income Taxes: Include a line item of approximately 10-15% to cover Federal Income Taxes.  If you immediately qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you do not need to include the 10-15% to cover Federal Income Taxes.

Do I need receipts for my purchases with this bonus?

In most cases, receipts are not required because this is not a reimbursement. No, you do not need to submit receipts to document this bonus.  Instead, make your best estimate using information provided from your host country contacts and based on your previous experience in country.  The amounts do not have to be exact.  However, we will want itemization in general categories ($200 for linens and bath goods; $350 for kitchen utensils / appliances, $850 for living room furniture, etc.) 

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Hardship Bonus

Who is eligible?

Missionaries whose ministries require the purchase of a vehicle. International Missionaries that have been Released to Assignment and are currently serving overseas or will be leaving for an overseas assignment are eligible to request Financial Hardship bonuses, since they are paid a needs-based salary to cover their financial needs on the field.  Examples of financial hardship bonus requests include covering unexpected medical expenses or health emergencies for the employee that are not covered by insurance, paying for flights back to the US that are not reimbursable for personal reasons if a close family member is ill, property emergencies such as theft or loss, evacuations, visa/immigration issues out of the ordinary, etc.

How do I request this bonus?

Submit the Complete the International Hardship Bonus for Moving and Vehicle, using instruction for Settling In Bonus 

What expenses can be covered with this bonus?

The purchase of the vehicle and taxes related to purchase

For costs related to maintenance, taxes, insurance that cover the on-going cost of the vehicle, the needs to include the monthly expenses in their Support GoalRequest Form and email it to international@gcmweb.org for processing.  This bonus does not require supervisor approval or receipted documentation.  If submitted by the 20th of the month, it will be processed for the next payroll period.  If an international missionary needs the money before the next available payroll cycle, he or she can request a salary advance from finance@gcmweb.org for the amount of the bonus minus taxes that would be withheld.  The salary advance could be processed within 3-5 business days for a fee of $8 to the account for which the missionary is responsible, provided the Hardship Bonus request has been submitted to and approved by the MR department (international@gcmweb.org).  

What about taxes?

The purchase of a vehicle is considered extra income and fully taxable. 

This bonus is taxable.  If the missionary is subject to Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Income Taxes, the missionary should include these taxes on the Hardship Bonus Request form.  See What about taxes under Settling-In Bonus for more details.

Moving

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Bonus

Who is eligible?

International Missionaries who are moving from one ministry location to another, whether within the same city, country, or to a different country overseas, are eligible to request a moving bonus.  The moving bonus would cover expenses that are not reimbursable.  Contact reimbursements@gcmweb.org to ask what moving expenses may be reimbursable before submitting for this bonus.

How do I request this bonus?

Email the International Bonus Request for Moving or Vehicle Form to international@gcmweb.org with supervisor approval.  Be sure to itemize the moving expenses, such as including moving company fees, expenses for boxes, expenses for apartment deposits, etc. 

What about taxes?

Counseling Bonus

This bonus is taxable.  If the missionary is subject to Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Income Taxes, the missionary should include these taxes on the Moving Bonus Request form.  See What about taxes under Settling-In Bonus for more details.

Does this bonus require supervisor approval?

Yes, you must email this bonus request to your supervisor and international@gcmweb.org and ask your supervisor to review and send his or her approval confirming that this move is ministry related to international@gcmweb.org with his or her electronic signature (Full Name, Fund Number if GCM staff, Email Address, Phone Number, Date).

Vehicle

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Bonus

Who is eligible?

International Missionaries who have been Released to Assignment and are serving overseas are eligible to request a vehicle bonus provided they have supervisor approval for the ministry purpose and safety/security instruction for owning a vehicle in the country where he or she is serving.

How do I request this bonus?

Email the International Bonus Request for Moving or Vehicle Form to international@gcmweb.org with supervisor approval.  

What about taxes?

Transition Bonus

Who is eligible?

How do I request this bonus?

This bonus is taxable.  If the missionary is subject to Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Income Taxes, the missionary should include these taxes on the Vehicle Bonus Request form.  See What about taxes under Settling-In Bonus for more details.

Does this bonus require supervisor approval?

Yes, you must email this bonus request to your supervisor and international@gcmweb.org and ask your supervisor to review and send his or her approval confirming that this vehicle is necessary for ministry and confirming that he or she has debriefed the missionary on safety/security concerns with driving and owning a vehicle in the country of service.  This supervisor email should be sent to international@gcmweb.org with his or her electronic signature (Full Name, Fund Number if GCM staff, Email Address, Phone Number, Date).

Do I need to change or update my Support Goal Worksheet (SGW) if I buy a vehicle while overseas?

Yes, you will want to think about vehicle maintenance such as oil changes, car repairs, and gas and add these into your monthly SGW.  Send your updated SGW to international@gcmweb.org for processing by the 20th of the month for your salary to be reflected on the next paycheck.

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Re-entry Bonus

Who is eligible?

International Missionaries who have been serving on the field and are either exiting staff and returning to the US or are returning to the US and staying on staff domestically with GCM are eligible to request a Re-entry Bonus.  International Missionaries that are exiting staff with GCM but are staying in the country where they are serving overseas are not eligible for a re-entry bonus, as the heart of the bonus is to offer financial assistance to international missionaries that may incur many expenses when entering back into life in the US.

How much may I request for the Re-entry Bonus?

You may request up a month of your current GCM salary for every year you have served on the field overseas, with a maximum bonus request of up to 6 months of your current GCM salary.  If you are an exiting One Year Missionary, you may request up to $2,000 for having served overseas for one year, or up to $1,000 for having served overseas for 6 months.

How do I request this bonus?

Send an email requesting the Re-entry Bonus and specify the number of months' salary you are requesting to international@gcmweb.org.  Include a list of what you plan to use the bonus to purchase for re-entry, such as initial deposits for rent and utilities, furniture, household items, office set-up, car, cell phone, etc.

Can I request special payment of this bonus?

Yes, you can request that MR pay this bonus to you in one payment, two payments, or up to 6 payments if you are approved for a 6 month salary re-entry bonus.  Email international@gcmweb.org to discuss your options and MTD funding specifics.

What about taxes?

This bonus is taxable, and if you are subject to Social Security, Medicare, Federal and State Income Taxes upon return to the US, you will have those taxes withheld from the bonus amount in your paychecks.  If you are an ordained or commissioned minister and have requested a FICA bonus on your salary, please be sure to request the additional FICA bonus on the Re-entry bonus when emailing international@gcmweb.org.

Counseling Bonus