For assistance, problems or questions, please email us.
Page History
...
| Tip | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
|
Steps to take
| Table of Contents | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Notify Missionary Resources you are ordained/commissioned; include copy of your certificate |
|---|
Whom to email: hr@reliant.org
|
2. Read Zondervan Minister's Tax and Financial Guide |
Details: Once we receive your email, we will send you this book. Use it as a starting point for educating yourself on the issues of Social Security tax, parsonage allowance, Social Security exemption and other financial topics on being a minister. |
3. Consult a tax professional as needed |
Details: We strongly encourage you to talk with a professional who is up-to-date on current practices in this field. Reliant is unable to offer tax advice for your specific situation.
|
4. Complete a Parsonage Request |
...
form |
|---|
Details: Once your parsonage amount has been approved, it will become effective on the next applicable pay period. |
...
To change your parsonage amount in the future, simply complete a new Parsonage Request form and email it to hr@reliant.org for approval. Dave Meldrum-Green, our director of Organizational Affairs & treasurer, reviews and approves all parsonage requests. See Parsonage |
...
for more information. Resources:
Whom to email: hr@reliant.org
|
5. Understand your new employment status |
|---|
Details: You are now considered "self-employed" by Reliant for purposes of Social Security and Medicare. Reliant will stop withholding FICA taxes and paying the employer portion on your behalf. FICA tax includes portions for Social Security and Medicare, and the tax rate for 2015 earnings was 15.3%. Resources: Chapter 6 in Zondervan Minister's Tax and Financial Guide |
6. Make a well-informed decision about Social |
...
Security |
|---|
Details: Ministers are granted the ability to opt out of Social Security if they meet certain requirements. By default you will remain in the system. |
...
A decision to opt out must be based on conscience, not convenience. Remember, you cannot make the decision to opt out simply because you think you can achieve a better investment return on those funds elsewhere (economic reasons). Reliant is not able to assist you with this decision. It is a completely personal decision. You may also want to talk with other ministers who have dealt with this option. A minister is fully responsible for social security taxes until he receives certification from the IRS that his/her opt-out request has been granted. Resources: Chapter 6 in Zondervan Minister's Tax and Financial Guide |
...
7. Notify Missionary Resources about your |
|---|
...
decision |
|---|
Details: If you are opting out of Social Security, your email must explicitly state, “I am opting out of the Social Security System because I am conscientiously opposed to public insurance as a minister.” Whom to email: hr@reliant.org
|
Additional steps if you stay in the Social Security system
| Note |
|---|
If you are opting out of Social Security, skip down to Additional steps if you opt out of the Social Security system |
1. Decide whether to take the FICA Bonus |
|---|
Details: Reliant offers an additional 7.65% in salary to offset the amount previously paid by the employer for Social Security. This bonus will be paid from the MTD account for which you are responsible and will be included in your monthly paycheck.
|
2. Notify Missionary Resources if you want the bonus |
Details: Once Reliant receives notification that you would like the bonus, you will receive a new salary offer.
Whom to email: hr@reliant.org
|
3. Submit a new Support Goal |
...
Details: Make sure to wait to submit a new Support Goal until you have received confirmation that your bonus request has been processed. Submitting a new Support Goal accepts and activates the bonus. Resources: Support Goal on Staffnet
|
4. Look at your options for paying your tax to the |
...
IRS |
|---|
Details: Remember, you must begin to pay your own Social Security tax (now called SECA since you are considered self-employed) from the point in time that you are paid Reliant wages as a minister. Resources: Chapter 7 in Zondervan Minister's Tax and Financial Guide |
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. File Form 4361 with the IRS |
|---|
Details: Please be aware that if you request a FICA bonus and then decide within two years that you are opting out, you may be required to repay the bonus total you have received to date. Resources: IRS Form 4361 (Download)
|
2. Submit a new Support Goal |
Resources: Support Goal on Staffnet
|
Review of steps to take
| UI Button | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- Notify hr@reliant.org that you are ordained/commissioned. Include a copy of your ordination/commissioning certificate.
- Email hr@reliant.org a new job description (Word version)(PDF version)
- Read Zondervan Minister's Tax and Financial Guide, which Reliant had mailed to you
- For further questions, consider talking with a professional who is up-to-date on current practices in this field. Reliant strongly encourages this.
- Complete a Parsonage Request form and submit to hr@reliant.org (Word Excel version)(PDF version)
- Understand your new "self-employed" status with Reliant
- Make a well-informed decision on whether to remain in the Social Security system or to opt out
- Notify hr@reliant.org of your decision regarding Social Security
...
