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The new Reimbursement and Expense Recovery Bonus Policy and Standard are effective beginning January 1, 2023. The Reimbursement and Expense Recovery Bonus Standard and Policy apply to all expenses incurred beginning January 1, 2023. Any expenses incurred in 2022 (even if submitted in 2023) will follow our previous policies and use the previous year's forms. Please Please watch the Reimburse and Expense Recovery introductory video to help understand the key changes to the previous standards and general details the tutorial video on how to use the new expense submission request forms. to Download & Submit our new Expense Submission Forms. |
Standard Name: | Reimbursement and Expense Recovery Bonus Standard |
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Relevant Policies: | Reimbursement and Expense Recovery Bonus Policy |
Relevant Forms: | Expense Submission Forms |
Creation Date: | December 2022 |
Last Revision Date: |
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- Recurring Expenses - Ministry Expense (ME) Bonus, Monthly Phone Service
- Technology
- Travel and Events
- Office Expenses
- Other Ministry Expenses - Equipment, Continuing Education, Gifts, etc.
- International Worker Expenses
- Licensed Counselor Expenses - For those who serve as a licensed counselor
- Coaching, Counseling, and Spiritual Direction
General Standards
Anchor Stewardship Stewardship
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Current approved Expense Submission Request Forms are required for expense submission.
Expense Advances, primarily relating to large, expected travel expenditures, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. International Expense Allowance is available to International workers for expenses not eligible for inclusion on the International Expense Submission Form and not included in their monthly salary. The amount can be received before the expense purchase, as receipts are not used for requesting the amount. Moving Allowance is available to U.S.-based employees incurring moving costs for moving from one ministry location to another Exception Requests are available for submission in the event of a denied submission or to request special exceptions to the Standard Grants are available for expenses related directly to a project fund. The full grant process involves submitting a grant request and following the Board's policy on grant reporting Per Diem (U.S.) & Per Diem (International) is available to use for travel expenses incurred during longer periods of travel Support Goal- support goal submission is specific to program teams. Please reach out to the appropriate program liaison for assistance With each expense submitted on the relevant form, there should be:
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For all Reimbursements and ERBs, requests must be received within 60 days after the end of the month in which the expense is incurred. An expense is incurred when an item is purchased, or , in the case of pre-payment for travel, when the travel actually occurs, as long as both the payment date and travel date are listed on the receipt for documentation.
Late submissions are not guaranteed to be approved and will be considered case-by-case. The late expense submission must include a valid reason for the late submission and supervisor approval.
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Key Change to the Standard: Under the previous policy and standard, approved late submissions were automatically considered taxable wages. Going forward, that will no longer be the case. Approved late submissions will be treated like any other expense regarding taxability. Therefore, if an expense Reimbursement would typically be considered non-taxable, it will remain non-taxable if approved for a late submission. Supervisor approval is now required for late submissions. |
Please review the table below for more details on the timing of receiving Reimbursement/bonus funds based on the submission date.
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Payment Dates
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Paid to the Bank Account of Field Staff By...
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Expenses from prior months that are correctly submitted by the 15th of each month, will be paid by the end of that same month, pending funding in the MTD account. When submitting reimbursements for expenses incurred in the current month, please note that these expenses may not be paid until the following month, in order to abide by IRS requirements regarding order-of-pay. |
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Submission Review and Approval
If the criteria for determining a permissible expense are not met on the original submission, the expense may be resubmitted on a new submission form with the corrected information (in the event it was due to insufficient documentation), or an appeal may be submitted through an exception request if the reason for denial was related to other criteria that require director review for approval.
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Sufficient Funds
As noted above, expense submissions may draw on funds from either the MTD account for which the field staff or associate is responsible or a project fund pertinent to the field worker's ministry. In either case, sufficient funds are required before payment is issued for the expense submission. (See also "Lack of Funding for Reimbursements and ERBs" below for details on what happens when sufficient funds are unavailable.)
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Lack of Funding for Reimbursements and Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB)
If the funding source (i.e., MTD account or project fund) lacks sufficient monies to cover the submitted expense, then the expense submission is considered a back reimbursement or back pay, as described below.
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title | Back Reimbursement |
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Back Reimbursement
If the funding source does not contain sufficient funds to provide full reimbursement for the amount on an expense submission request form, Reliant will hold the form and delay reimbursement, storing the expense submission as a "back reimbursement" until sufficient funds are available in the funding source, according to Reliant's order of pay protocol. If a field staff has more than one back reimbursement, they will be paid out in the order in which the reimbursement submissions were received once funds become available for the whole amount of each individual reimbursement.
Reimbursements submitted in the third month (61-90 days after the end of the month in which the expenses were incurred) are considered late, and are eligible for recovery as an Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB), in which the total amount of the submission will be considered taxable wages.
Reimbursements submitted more than 90 days following the end of the month in which the expenses were incurred are not eligible for recovery. An exception request may be submitted for consideration for the expired reimbursement to be recovered as an ERB with tax implications.
Late submissions that require an exception request are not guaranteed to be approved and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The late expense submission must include a valid reason for the late submission and supervisor approval.
Please reference the table below for the current submission timeframe.
Month in which expense was incurred | March 2024 (and previous months) | April 2024 | May 2024 | June 2024 | July 2024 |
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Status of submission | Submission is considered late. | Submission is considered late. | Submission is currently on-time. | Submission is currently on-time. | Submission is currently on-time. |
Next steps for expense recovery |
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Please review the table below for more details on the timing of receiving Reimbursement/bonus funds based on the submission date.
Anchor Payment Dates Payment Dates
Payment Dates | |
Payment Dates |
Payment Dates
Expense Incurred... | Reimbursement Submitted by... | Paid to the Bank Account of Field Staff by... |
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Anytime in the previous month. | The 1st to 15th of the current month. | The last business day of the current month. |
Anytime in the previous month. | The 16th to 31st of the current month. | The 20th of the following month or the preceding business day if the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday. |
Anytime in the current month. | The 1st to 31st of the current month. | The 20th of the following month or the preceding business day if the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday. |
Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB) Submitted By... | Paid to the Bank Account of Field Staff By... |
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Last day of the month. | Payment included in the following month's paycheck. |
Note |
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Expenses from prior months that are correctly submitted by the 15th of each month, will be paid by the end of that same month, pending funding in the MTD account. When submitting reimbursements for expenses incurred in the current month, please note that these expenses may not be paid until the following month, in order to abide by IRS requirements regarding order-of-pay. |
Anchor Review Review
Review | |
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Submission Review and Approval
If the criteria for determining a permissible expense are not met on the original submission, the expense may be resubmitted on a new submission form with the corrected information (in the event it was due to insufficient documentation), or an appeal may be submitted through an exception request if the reason for denial was related to other criteria that require director review for approval.
Anchor Funds1 Funds1
Sufficient Funds
As noted above, expense submissions may draw on funds from either the MTD account for which the field staff or associate is responsible or a project fund pertinent to the field worker's ministry. In either case, sufficient funds are required before payment is issued for the expense submission. (See also "Lack of Funding for Reimbursements and ERBs" below for details on what happens when sufficient funds are unavailable.)
Anchor Lack of Funding Lack of Funding
Lack of Funding | |
Lack of Funding |
Lack of Funding for Reimbursements and Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB)
If the funding source (i.e., MTD account or project fund) lacks sufficient monies to cover the submitted expense, then the expense submission is considered a back reimbursement or back pay, as described below.
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Back Reimbursement If the funding source does not contain sufficient funds to provide full reimbursement for the amount on an expense submission request form, Reliant will hold the form and delay reimbursement, storing the expense submission as a "back reimbursement" until sufficient funds are available in the funding source, according to Reliant's order of pay protocol. If a field staff has more than one back reimbursement, they will be paid out in the order in which the reimbursement submissions were received once funds become available for the whole amount of each individual reimbursement. If the funding source covers only a portion of a back reimbursement, Reliant will not automatically partially pay the reimbursement. Field staff may request a reduction in the back reimbursement for a partial payment or altogether remove it from the queue, but in such cases, the remaining portion of a partial back reimbursement or the back reimbursement removed from the queue will not be eligible for reinstatement should funding become available later. To illustrate the process for partial reimbursement, suppose a field staff submits a $1,000 reimbursement that is next in line for the order of reimbursement payout, and only $650 is available to pay out. The field staff may elect to send an email to reimbursements@reliant.org asking the reimbursement team to pay the $1,000 reimbursement using the available funds and acknowledging that the field staff forfeits any un-reimbursed portion of that reimbursement. Note: this action is entirely voluntary and at the discretion of the field staff. Here's a sample email of how to word the email. "I would like to request that my April (Year-20xx) reimbursement totaling $X be paid out on X date using the available funds in the MTD account for which I am responsible. I acknowledge that any un-reimbursed funds from this reimbursement will be forfeited and unable to be reimbursed at a future date." Reliant will retain unpaid back reimbursements for the remainder of the calendar year in which the expenses were incurred, plus two (2) additional calendar years. Once this period has expired (i.e., after January 31st of that next year, when all expense reimbursements have been completely processed and paid by Reliant), any un-reimbursed back reimbursement expenses will be marked as expired and can no longer be paid. Example: expenses submitted in 2019 are eligible for payment as a back reimbursement until January 31, 2022, if the field staff has raised sufficient funds by December 31, 2021.
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Back Pay for ERBs If funds are not available to pay an ERB, Reliant will short-check those ERBs and include them with back pay following Reliant's approved order of pay. In the order of expense submission pay, Expense Recovery Bonuses take precedence over Reimbursements per IRS requirements. Back pay is eligible for compensation/payment during the year it is incurred, plus two additional years. For example, if an ERB was submitted in March 2019 and the funding source lacks sufficient funds to pay it, the back pay resulting from the ERB is eligible to be paid until December 31, 2021.
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Exiting Employment with Unpaid Reimbursements If a field staff is exiting employment and has reached his/her final month of payroll without receiving enough funds to cover the total amount of a submitted reimbursement fully, Reliant will automatically reimburse a portion (based on available funds) of the submitted reimbursement without the field staff needing to submit a request for partial payment of the reimbursement.
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Anchor Order of Pay Order of Pay
Order of Pay | |
Order of Pay |
Order of Expense Submission Pay
Reliant will pay approved Reimbursements and ERBs following Reliant's Order of Pay. While Order of Pay considers a variety of additional payroll-related elements, expense submissions follow this order:
- Current ERB
- Back Pay (if applicable), including any previously submitted ERB waiting for funding, as long as the ERB remains eligible for Back Pay (See Back Pay for ERB above for more detail)
- Back Reimbursements (formerly known as cabinet expenses), meaning unpaid Reimbursements waiting for funding and paid in the order they were received, as long as the Back Reimbursements remain eligible for Reimbursement (See Back Reimbursements above for more detail)
- Current Reimbursement (Again, reimbursements are paid in the order they are received)
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As a reminder, timecards must be up to date for hourly employees to be eligible to receive Reimbursements and ERBs. |
Anchor Removed or Denied Expense Requests Removed or Denied Expense Requests
Removed or Denied Expense Requests | |
Removed or Denied Expense Requests |
Resolution of Removed or Denied Expense Requests
Upon review of expense submissions, Reliant may remove or deny expenses or return submitted expense forms for various reasons. Explanations for the return or denial of submitted expenses can be found in Google comments within the Google file, the Reliant email of field staff, or the reimbursement notes section of Toolbox. Field staff are responsible for checking their Reliant email and Toolbox for reimbursement notes and initiating with Reliant if there are questions about those notes. Reliant will notify field staff via email or Google Drive comments if a form is entirely denied.
If expenses are removed from or denied on an expense submission request, the expense denied may be resubmitted on a separate expense submission form for further review. Field staff should check the guidelines to ensure they have included proper receipt documentation and only include the items previously removed on the new form submission. There is no extension to the original submission timeframe deadline for re-submissions.
A formal exception request must be submitted if the expense was removed due to a policy issue.
Anchor Receipt Guidelines Receipt Guidelines
Receipt Guidelines | |
Receipt Guidelines |
Receipt Guidelines
Reliant requires that itemized receipts for expenses greater than $75 must be submitted* along with the appropriate form. *The only exception to the $75 limit is that a receipt is always needed for all hotel/lodging, regardless of the amount requested for reimbursement. Receipts should be uploaded into a google folder and linked to the submission form. See Expense Receipt Google Folder for instructions.
Receipts must include the following itemized details:
- What was purchased
- Total amount paid
- Date
- Name of the company (or person) that was paid
- Name of field staff (only if applicable, such as for a flight, hotel, rental car, etc.)
- If there are multiple types of expenses on one receipt then the expenses should be separated by category on the expense submission form. If the amount that is being submitted on the expense form is less than the amount for the item listed on the receipt that is submitted, please add a note to the top of the receipt explaining why the request for submission is a different amount.
Anchor Shared Shared Anchor Hand-Written Hand-Written
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Hand-Written Receipts On the rare occasion when a field staff is unable to obtain a formal itemized receipt, hand-written receipts are acceptable, as long as they contain the following information:
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Receipts from Mobile/Banking App For receipts from mobile apps (such as Venmo, Square, Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Wallet, or a banking app, etc.), field staff should be sure to include a clear description in the memo or "what's it for?" section of the transaction, to document what expense the payment is related to. The expense submission should also include any information required for a valid receipt that is not visible on the mobile app "receipt" (see the guidelines above for what details must be included on the itemized receipt for it to be acceptable.) Please see the section below for details on receipts needed for shared expenses. |
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Receipts for Shared Expenses If a Reliant field staff pays an individual for a portion of an expense that requires a receipt (and the portion exceeds $75), he/she will need to submit two receipts. This includes both a copy of the original receipt with the total expense amount listed from the individual who collected the money and paid for the total expense, as well as a hand-written or mobile/banking app receipt for the portion paid to the individual. These two receipts provide Reliant with sufficient documentation of the transactions. The expense submission should include all details required for the hand-written or mobile/banking app receipts, as detailed above. |
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Non-Employee Expenses
Read the options below for details on expenses submitted for non-employees.
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Associate Expenses Associates are volunteers who have been approved to conduct ministry on behalf of Reliant. Expenses incurred by Reliant associates should meet the general criteria outlined in this standard. Associates are not eligible for any expense recovery that has a taxable component or that is submitted for recovery through a support goal.
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Family Expenses Travel, event/conference/training, and meal expenses related to a Reliant employee's immediate family members (i.e., spouses that are not also a Reliant employee/associate and/or children) that coincide with a field staff's job or ministry may be eligible for recovery, typically only as an ERB. When submitting an expense for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or child(ren) on an expense submission form, subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. Follow the drop-down instructions on the form to select "YES" that the expense is for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or children.
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If the funding source covers only a portion of a back reimbursement, Reliant will not automatically partially pay the reimbursement. Field staff may request a reduction in the back reimbursement for a partial payment or altogether remove it from the queue, but in such cases, the remaining portion of a partial back reimbursement or the back reimbursement removed from the queue will not be eligible for reinstatement should funding become available later. To illustrate the process for partial reimbursement, suppose a field staff submits a $1,000 reimbursement that is next in line for the order of reimbursement payout, and only $650 is available to pay out. The field staff may elect to send an email to reimbursements@reliant.org asking the reimbursement team to pay the $1,000 reimbursement using the available funds and acknowledging that the field staff forfeits any un-reimbursed portion of that reimbursement. Note: this action is entirely voluntary and at the discretion of the field staff.
Here's a sample email of how to word the email.
"I would like to request that my April (Year-20xx) reimbursement totaling $X be paid out on X date using the available funds in the MTD account for which I am responsible. I acknowledge that any un-reimbursed funds from this reimbursement will be forfeited and unable to be reimbursed at a future date."
Reliant will retain unpaid back reimbursements for the remainder of the calendar year in which the expenses were incurred, plus two (2) additional calendar years. Once this period has expired (i.e., after January 31st of that next year, when all expense reimbursements have been completely processed and paid by Reliant), any un-reimbursed back reimbursement expenses will be marked as expired and can no longer be paid. Example: expenses submitted in 2019 are eligible for payment as a back reimbursement until January 31, 2022, if the field staff has raised sufficient funds by December 31, 2021.
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Key Change to the Standard: Terminology has changed wherein "Back Reimbursement" was formerly known as a "cabinet expense". A Back Reimbursement is a reimbursement that is held back from paying due to a lack of sufficient funds. If there are multiple back reimbursements, they are put into a queue and are paid in the order from which they are received. |
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title | Back Pay for ERBs |
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Back Pay for ERBs
If funds are not available to pay an ERB, Reliant will short-check those ERBs and include them with back pay following Reliant's approved order of pay. In the order of expense submission pay, Expense Recovery Bonuses take precedence over Reimbursements per IRS requirements. Back pay is eligible for compensation/payment during the year it is incurred, plus two additional years. For example, if an ERB was submitted in March 2019 and the funding source lacks sufficient funds to pay it, the back pay resulting from the ERB is eligible to be paid until December 31, 2021.
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Key Change to the Standard: Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB) bonuses are now being routed through payroll rather than through the reimbursements queue. An unpaid bonus due to insufficient funds is now short-checked and held in the back pay queue. Please review the Order of Expense Submission Pay below for more detail. |
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title | Exiting Employment with Unpaid Reimbursements |
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Exiting Employment with Unpaid Reimbursements
If a field staff is exiting employment and has reached his/her final month of payroll without receiving enough funds to cover the total amount of a submitted reimbursement fully, Reliant will automatically reimburse a portion (based on available funds) of the submitted reimbursement without the field staff needing to submit a request for partial payment of the reimbursement.
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Key Change to the Standard: In the past, Reliant would only pay partial payments when it was requested, which included during exiting. Now, for exiting staff only, Reliant will automatically pay partial reimbursements (without receiving a request) if the funds are available. |
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Order of Expense Submission Pay
Reliant will pay approved Reimbursements and ERBs following Reliant's Order of Pay. While Order of Pay considers a variety of additional payroll-related elements, expense submissions follow this order:
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It is Reliant's intention that the ERB will eventually be routed through our payroll process (as shown below). However, Reliant has not fully integrated our processes into the new system. Therefore, the explanation for the expense submission order of pay below is what we expect to occur soon once the process has been integrated. Until then, the ERBs will remain in the Reimbursement category and follow the current order of pay for Reimbursements and Back Reimbursements, respectively. |
- Current ERB
- Back Pay (if applicable), including any previously submitted ERB waiting for funding, as long as the bonus remains eligible for Back Pay (See Back Pay for ERB above for more detail)
- Back Reimbursements (formerly known as cabinet expenses), meaning unpaid Reimbursements waiting for funding and paid in the order they were received, as long as the Back Reimbursements remain eligible for Reimbursement (See Back Reimbursements above for more detail)
- Current Reimbursement (Again, reimbursements are paid in the order they are received)
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As a reminder, timecards must be up to date for hourly employees to be eligible to receive Reimbursements and ERBs. |
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Resolution of Removed or Denied Expense Requests
Upon review of expense submissions, Reliant may remove or deny expenses or return submitted expense forms for various reasons. Explanations for the return or denial of submitted expenses can be found in Google comments within the Google file, the Reliant email of field staff, or StaffNet. Field staff are responsible for checking their Reliant email and Staffnet for reimbursement notes and initiating with Reliant if there are questions about those notes. Reliant will notify field staff via email or Google Drive comments if a form is entirely denied.
If expenses are removed from or denied on an expense submission request, the expense denied may be resubmitted on a separate expense submission form for further review. Field staff should check the guidelines to ensure they have included proper receipt documentation and only include the items previously removed on the new form submission. There is no extension to the original submission timeframe deadline for re-submissions.
A formal exception request must be submitted if the expense was removed due to a policy issue.
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Receipt Guidelines
Reliant requires that itemized receipts for expenses greater than $75 must be submitted* along with the appropriate form. *The only exception to the $75 limit is that a receipt is always needed for all hotel/lodging, regardless of the amount requested for reimbursement. Receipts should be uploaded into a google folder and linked to the submission form. See Expense Receipt Google Folder for instructions.
Receipts must include the following itemized details:
- What was purchased
- Total amount paid
- Date
- Name of the company (or person) that was paid
- Name of field staff (only if applicable, such as for a flight, hotel, rental car, etc.)
- If there are multiple types of expenses on one receipt then the expenses should be separated by category on the expense submission form. If the amount that is being submitted on the expense form is less than the amount for the item listed on the receipt that is submitted, please add a note to the top of the receipt explaining why the request for submission is a different amount.
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Hand-Written Receipts On the rare occasion when a field staff is unable to obtain a formal itemized receipt, hand-written receipts are acceptable, as long as they contain the following information:
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Receipts from Mobile/Banking App For receipts from mobile apps (such as Venmo, Square, Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Wallet, or a banking app, etc.), field staff should be sure to include a clear description in the memo or "what's it for?" section of the transaction, to document what expense the payment is related to. The expense submission should also include any information required for a valid receipt that is not visible on the mobile app "receipt" (see the guidelines above for what details must be included on the itemized receipt for it to be acceptable.) Please see the section below for details on receipts needed for shared expenses. |
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Receipts for Shared Expenses If a Reliant field staff pays an individual for a portion of an expense that requires a receipt (and the portion exceeds $75), he/she will need to submit two receipts. This includes both a copy of the original receipt with the total expense amount listed from the individual who collected the money and paid for the total expense, as well as a hand-written or mobile/banking app receipt for the portion paid to the individual. These two receipts provide Reliant with sufficient documentation of the transactions. The expense submission should include all details required for the hand-written or mobile/banking app receipts, as detailed above. |
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Non-Employee Expenses
Read the options below for details on expenses submitted for non-employees.
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Key Change to the Standard: This was only offered to International Associates in the past. It is now offered to all Associates. |
title | Family Expenses |
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Family Expenses
Travel, event/conference/training, and meal expenses related to a Reliant employee's immediate family members (i.e., spouses that are not also a Reliant employee/associate and/or children) that coincide with a field staff's job or ministry may be eligible for recovery, typically only as an ERB. When submitting an expense for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or child(ren) on an expense submission form, subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. Follow the drop-down instructions on the form to select "YES" that the expense is for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or children.
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If a spouse is an employee or associate of Reliant, the spouse's ministry-related expenses should be submitted directly by the employed/associate spouse. If a spouse is not an employee or associate of Reliant, the spouse's expenses for travel, event/conference/training, or meal attendance may be recovered through an ERB if the presence of the spouse is deemed important and valuable to the success of the ministry taking place. If there is a bonafide business/ministry reason for spousal attendance–meaning the spouse's attendance is required and the spouse has a direct role in the ministry being conducted (they are participating in the ministry work) during the trip, event/conference/training, or meal--the field worker may request on the expense submission form that these expenses be considered as a non-taxable reimbursement along with an explanation of the bonafide business/ministry reason for the spouse's required attendance. |
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For children's expenses to be eligible for any expense recovery, a child must have resided in the home for at least half the calendar year (to be claimed as a dependent on taxes). Children's travel, event/conference/training, and meal expenses are subject to the same general criteria as non-employed/non-associate spousal expenses in that they can be recovered through an ERB if the presence of the children is deemed important and valuable to the success of the ministry taking place. However, reimbursement (non-taxable) expenses for children are less common because the accompaniment of children is less frequently considered job-related. If On the rare occasions when there is a bonafide business/ministry purpose reason for the child's attendance for travel, event/conference/training or meal expenses with the parent--meaning the childspousal attendance–meaning the spouse's attendance is required and the child spouse has a direct role in the ministry being conducted (they are participating in the ministry work) during the trip, event/conference/training, or meal--the field worker may request on the expense submission form that these expenses be considered as a non-taxable reimbursement along with an explanation of the bonafide business/ministry reason for the childspouse's required attendance. . |
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For children's expenses to be eligible for any expense recovery, a child must have resided in the home for at least half the calendar year (to be claimed as a dependent on taxes). Children's travel, Specifically related to event/conference/training fees for children: , and meal expenses are subject to the same general criteria as non-employed/non-associate spousal expenses in that they can be recovered through an ERB if the presence of the children is deemed important and valuable to the success of the ministry taking place. However, reimbursement (non-taxable) expenses for children are less common because the accompaniment of children is less frequently considered job-related. On the rare occasions when there is a bonafide business/ministry purpose for the child's attendance for travel, event/conference/training or meal expenses with the parent--meaning the child's attendance is required and the child has a direct role in the ministry being conducted--the field worker may request on the submission form that these expenses be considered as a non-taxable reimbursement along with an explanation of the bonafide business/ministry reason for the child's required attendance. Specifically related to event/conference/training fees for children:
As a reminder, Reliant currently offers Child-Care Reimbursement through our Cafeteria Plan (tax-saving benefit). |
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Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Details | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mobile Phone Device | $1,000 max limit to purchase a phone Only eligible once every two years Recoverable as 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB (*International workers see International Worker Expenses for sat phone) |
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Apps | One-time purchases and subscriptions for apps directly relevant to field workers' job responsibilities are allowed. |
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Computers & Computer Equipment | Computers (desktop/laptop/tablet), computer equipment (e.g., monitors, printers, hard drives), and warranties, to the extent they are required to perform ministry responsibilities. Each type of item above is only eligible once every three years 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB. |
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Software | One-time outright purchases of software: Recoverable as 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB. Only eligible once every three years per software type Monthly Software subscriptions are 100% nontaxable (*International workers see International Worker Expenses for VPN) |
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Equipment | Sound/lighting/projection equipment, musical instruments, and other types of equipment, to the extent they are required to perform ministry responsibilities. Recoverable as 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB.
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Website Hosting & Email Distribution | Website hosting services or email distribution services that are directly related to the worker's ministry role |
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Media Downloads | Media downloads such as books, digital photos, graphics, etc., and other resources required for ministry-role. |
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Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Details | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hotel/Lodging | Up to $250/night for ministry trips |
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Flight | Airfare Baggage fees (for transportation of luggage) Seat upgrades, if required as a reasonable accommodation. TSA pre-check or CLEAR, if the service is used for ministry-related travel 3 or more times per year. |
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Rental Car/Borrowed Car |
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Mileage/Carpooling | Mileage for necessary ministry-related trips in excess of 50 miles each way (less than 50 are included in the support goal bonus) from the starting ministry location. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) |
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Parking & Tolls | Parking costs of more than $10 when conducting ministry work in a location that is not the local place of work. Parking costs incurred during travel (airport parking costs, hotel or conference center parking, etc.) Tolls when traveling on a ministry trip.
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Other Transportation | Taxi, bus, rideshare, train, water transportation, etc., when traveling on a ministry trip |
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Covid Testing | Mandated testing for COVID in order to travel |
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Visa and Passport | Mandatory fees paid to regulatory agencies and governing bodies (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)
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Vaccinations and Immunizations (short-term international trips) | Vaccinations and immunizations required for international travel (taxable ERB) (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) Certain medications required for international short-term travel related to mission trips are reimbursable |
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Meals During Travel | Meals during ministry trips Per Diem for meals during travel (U.S. Per Diem and International Per Diem) is available upon request for field workers traveling for their Reliant role for a period of 5 or more days. |
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Internet Access During Travel | Charges for internet and email fees while traveling for ministry purposes. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) |
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Travel Insurance |
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Weddings and Funerals | If the criteria (under Key Details) for the wedding/funeral are met, then airfare, mileage, lodging, rental cars, meals, and other travel-related expenses, etc., can be reimbursed. |
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Event/Conferences/Training Fees | As a general rule, most events, conferences, and training fees are reimbursable as long as the field workers substantiate why attendance was necessary for their current ministry job responsibilities. |
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Mission and Outreach Trips | The fee(s) for the Mission and Outreach Trip are reimbursable. |
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Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats | Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats are intended to be dedicated, focused, and intentional times of immersion in the Word, prayer, and/or ministry planning and preparation. Costs associated with the retreats may be reimbursed with pre-approval on a Personal Development Plan. |
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Event Facility Rental | For rental facilities related to events: Room rental for an event, park shelter rental, etc. (Typically reimbursed through a project fund.) |
...
Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Furniture (ministry gathering/small and large groups) | To the extent the furniture is required to perform ministry responsibilities related to ministry gatherings (such as small/large group indoor or outdoor meetings and events), recoverable as 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB. |
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Meals/Groceries (not associated with travel)
| Meals for ministry contacts, donors, and group events Groceries for prepared meals for ministry purposes One-time special event/celebration meals with co-workers that are out of the ordinary can be submitted
UI Expand |
Include the type of meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and the meal's location. Also, include the participant information in the ministry purpose if others were in attendance. (If fewer than 6 people, include the first and last names and their relationship to the ministry. If 6 or more people include the number of people present and the group's relationship to the ministry.
Also, make sure to describe clearly the ministry that occurred and how the meal was related to the overall ministry appointment, even if the majority of the ministry happened slightly outside of the meal.
| Books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UI Expand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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UI Expand | ||
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Add the book title and why it was needed for your ministry to the ministry purpose section of the expense submission form. Books given as Gifts or textbooks for Continuing Education are reimbursed in those expense categories. |
Note |
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Key Change to the Standard: The book's author is no longer needed on form submission. |
Continuing education courses
Course-related books
Associated Fees
Some other continuing education-related expenses can be recovered through an Expense Recovery Bonus, such as school-required health checks and immunizations and related travel costs associated with continuing education.
title | Key Details |
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These expenses require a special form. See Continuing Education for more details and the specific form to use.
Info |
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Needs pre-approval through continuing education form before reimbursement can be submitted |
UI Expand | ||
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All continuing education expenses must be submitted using the Continuing Education form. |
UI Expand | ||
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Employees working 20 hours or more per week are eligible for this benefit. Hourly employees may be eligible upon receiving special approval. Associates are not eligible. |
Counseling is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)
UI Expand | ||
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See also: Stewardship of Health and Healthcare Resources Short-term counseling is available through Reliant's Employee Assitance Program for those enrolled in Reliant's insurance. |
Gifts
Gifts from field workers are reimbursable, assuming:
- The gift is clearly related to the ministry and job responsibilities of the field staff
- The gift has an intended recipient determined at the time of purchase
- The recipient is not a Reliant employee or associate
- The gift is purchased within 30 days of being given
- The gift is not fundamentally personal in nature (i.e., gifts for a birthday, wedding, graduation, etc. for a personal friend or relative)
title | Key Details |
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Info |
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Gifts to other Reliant staff (employees or associates) cannot be reimbursed. See details on Gift Cards in the separate expense category below. |
UI Expand | ||
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There is an annual limit of $25 for the amount of a gift given per recipient per calendar year. The cost of the gift is generally considered to be the value of the gift. Incidental costs (not adding substantial value to the gift), such as packaging, mailing, insurance, postage, etc., may be reimbursed above the $25 limit. Reliant workers are responsible for keeping a record of the dollar amount of the gifts given to individuals over the course of the calendar year. Donor Gifts: If both the husband and wife are Reliant field workers consider this $25 per recipient as a limitation for the couple in gift giving to donors Corporate Gifts: Larger gifts may be given to a group of people, such as gifts to organizations, companies, or churches. An example of a corporate gift is a delivered gift basket for the group to share. The limit for corporate gifts is $150. A corporate gift would not be used for donors, ministry partners (those connected to field workers' primary ministry), or family/friends. Event Gifts: Gifts, prizes, or gift bags given to the entire group of people attending an event are considered "token gifts" and do not count against the $25 annual limit for that recipient. Financial Gifts (Donations): Donations, tithes, and other financial gifts are not reimbursable through Reliant. In some cases, field workers may want to speak to their church or ministry about making financial gifts to individuals or other ministries on their behalf. |
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Include in the ministry description the first initial and last name of the gift recipient as well as the relationship of the recipient as part of the ministry role and the specific ministry purpose of the gift. Group items, given to 5 or more people:
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A gift card given by a Reliant employee to donors may be reimbursed with a valid ministry purpose, but annual limits for giving (see "Gifts" above) apply.
As a Standard, Reliant does not allow field staff to give gift cards to other field staff (employee or associate).
title | Key Details |
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Note |
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Key Change to the Standard: Reliant will no longer reimburse gift cards given to other Reliant employees or associates. In the past, Reliant would allow the gift card to be reimbursed but would then add it to the other Reliant employee's payroll as taxable income. |
Note |
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For gift cards received by a Reliant employee, see Gift Cards for details. Key Change to Standard: Reliant employees no longer have to turn in gift cards that they receive. |
Moving costs are not submitted through expense submission. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)
A moving allowance is available for moving costs incurred while moving from one U.S. ministry location to another U.S. ministry location.
UI Expand | ||
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U.S.-based employees can request a Moving Allowance using this form. (For International moving costs see International worker expenses below) |
Professional fees paid to companies, agencies, or individuals for services necessary to conduct ministry are reimbursable. Professional fees include coaching, designers, photographers, videographers, etc. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)
title | Key Details |
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Coaching: Reliant field workers often seek outside instruction for ongoing ministry and development in their role. These may be temporary, such as during a sabbatical or role transition, or ongoing and should be discussed with the local church/ministry to confirm the coaching is necessary for maintaining and improving skills needed for the worker's role.
Note |
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Key Change in Standard: Reliant no longer needs the field worker to collect a W-9 from a vendor (for Reliant to send the vendor 1099 for that year) if the vendor is paid by the Reliant field worker (in the form of reimbursement) and not sent payment directly from Reliant. |
Recreation/Activities
Use discretion when submitting requests for reimbursement of recreation/activity expenses. The recreation/activity needs to have a valid ministry purpose related to the field staff role and must follow the Standard for reasonable, necessary, etc. A recreation/activity for the purpose of general fellowship would not qualify as a clear ministry purpose. Please see the key details for specific expenses that do not qualify for expense submission.
UI Expand | ||
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Gym memberships (including campus gyms) are eligible for recovery through ERB with a valid ministry purpose related to the field staff role. (For example: sports ministry). Annual membership preferred to avoid monthly form submission. |
UI Expand | ||
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The purpose of general fellowship does not qualify as a clear ministry purpose, but for example, an activity where the purpose is exclusively the development of a major donor contact (gives $1,000 or more) would qualify. There are a few specific recreation/activity expenses that definitely do NOT qualify to be eligible for expense submission. Reliant reserves the right to determine other non-qualifying expenses. Expenses not eligible include admission to theme parks, fireworks, weapons, high-risk outdoor activities (such as whitewater rafting), luxury cruises, and vacation travel expenses. |
UI Expand | ||
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Due to the pandemic and the increase of social distancing and online social networking, online gaming platforms (only if the primary use of the subscription or purchase is to maintain ongoing personal connections with ministry contacts, such as the case with Collegiate or high school ministry) may be recovered through an Expense Recovery Bonus with a max recovery of $75/month. |
Due to the different job responsibilities of Reliant employees, the types of supplies used for ministry purposes are vast and varying. It is the field worker's responsibility to use discretion when purchasing supplies to ensure the items are truly reasonable and necessary for ministry expenses.
UI Expand | ||
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Please limit bulk purchases of supplies to 4 months' worth of inventory to be stored at any given time. |
UI Expand | ||
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Reliant recognizes that our ordained/commissioned ministers have complex tax situations. Thus, For US field workers, we allow ordained/commissioned ministers to submit up to $500 for fees related to tax preparation and consultation annually. However, this amount is taxable and can only be recovered through an ERB. Associates are not eligible for tax prep expense recovery. |
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Books | Books that are ministry-related (they do not need to be religious in nature). |
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Continuing education courses Course-related books Associated Fees Some other continuing education-related expenses can be recovered through an Expense Recovery Bonus, such as school-required health checks and immunizations and related travel costs associated with continuing education. |
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Counseling | Certain expenses relating to counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction may be eligible for recovery through either a standard reimbursement, or an Expense Recovery Bonus, with tax implications. Please reference this section for specific details. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) |
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Gifts
| Gifts from field workers are reimbursable, assuming:
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Gift Cards | A gift card given by a Reliant employee to donors may be reimbursed with a valid ministry purpose, but annual limits for giving (see "Gifts" above) apply. As a Standard, Reliant does not allow field staff to give gift cards to other field staff (employee or associate). |
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Moving Costs | Moving costs are not submitted through expense submission. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) A moving allowance is available for moving costs incurred while moving from one U.S. ministry location to another U.S. ministry location. |
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Professional Fees | Professional fees paid to companies, agencies, or individuals for services necessary to conduct ministry are reimbursable. Professional fees include coaching, designers, photographers, videographers, etc. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) |
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Phone Calling Card/Prepaid Phone | Phone expenses (unrelated to cell phones or landline costs) used for rare situations that require a prepayment or phone card to perform ministry duties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Recreation/Activities | Use discretion when submitting requests for reimbursement of recreation/activity expenses. The recreation/activity needs to have a valid ministry purpose related to the field staff role and must follow the Standard for reasonable, necessary, etc. A recreation/activity for the purpose of general fellowship would not qualify as a clear ministry purpose. Please see the key details for specific expenses that do not qualify for expense submission.
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Subscriptions and Dues |
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Supplies | Due to the different job responsibilities of Reliant employees, the types of supplies used for ministry purposes are vast and varying. It is the field worker's responsibility to use discretion when purchasing supplies to ensure the items are truly reasonable and necessary for ministry expenses. |
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Tax Consulting | Only those U.S. Reliant employees who are ordained/commissioned ministers are eligible and can only be recovered through an ERB. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses) |
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Anchor | ||||
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International Worker Expenses
(Relevant Only to International Field Workers) For secure locations, use Secure Lexicon when entering ministry purposes on the expense submission form.
Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Reminders | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bank Fees | Bank fees such as ATM fees, wire fees, and international transaction (credit card) fees are reimbursable if incurred by International field workers as they travel back to the US or to other countries for ministry purposes. Or if they are incurred in situations where the safety of a Reliant International worker is a concern or in which local banking options are either not allowable or unadvisable (e.g., due to the secure nature of their ministry role.) |
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Counseling | Certain expenses relating to counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction may be eligible for recovery through either a standard reimbursement, or an Expense Recovery Bonus, with tax implications. Please reference this section for specific details. Additionally, there is a counseling allowance available to International workers (See International Counseling Resources) |
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Crisis Preparation | Supply items needed for crisis preparation (items to carry while traveling, go bag, vehicle supply bag, etc.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Global Communication |
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Immigration Fees | Mandatory fees paid to regulatory agencies and governing bodies.
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Immunizations, Vaccinations | To the extent not covered by Reliant health plans, pre-field physicals, vaccinations, and immunizations (including oral vaccinations with a prescription) required for international placement or internship can be recovered through an ERB. |
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International Mileage | Mileage for necessary ministry-related trips in excess of 50 miles each way (less than 50 are included in the support goal bonus) is reimbursable. When the cost of operating a motor vehicle in the international field worker's country of ministry exceeds that of the United States, the International field worker may submit ministry-related mileage at a rate that exceeds the United States IRS’s approved mileage reimbursement rate to be recovered through an ERB. |
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International Wardrobe | For International employees moving to a new International location, Reliant allows for a max limit of $500 ERB per employee to cover costs for clothing and apparel needed for a new wardrobe related to the change of culture and/ or climate associated with a new international location. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Legal Fees |
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Moving, Vehicle, Hardship, etc. | There is a specific International Expense Allowance designed to recover personal expenses for International workers that are not eligible for submission on the International Expense Submission Form such as moving, vehicle, and expenses related to hardship. |
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Training and Development | For International workers pre-field readiness and training, debriefing, security training, webinars, etc. |
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...
International Worker Expenses
(Relevant Only to International Field Workers) For secure locations, use Secure Lexicon when entering ministry purposes on the expense submission form.
Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Reminders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bank Fees | Bank fees such as ATM fees, wire fees, and international transaction (credit card) fees are reimbursable if incurred by International field workers as they travel back to the US or to other countries for ministry purposes. Or if they are incurred in situations where the safety of a Reliant International worker is a concern or in which local banking options are either not allowable or unadvisable (e.g., due to the secure nature of their ministry role.) |
UI Expand | ||
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International workers are encouraged to utilize debit and credit cards when reasonable. For suggested credit cards with low transaction fees, see International Finance FAQs. |
Counseling is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB. However, there is a counseling allowance available to International workers (See International Counseling Resources)
In the event of an international crisis, International field workers may qualify to receive crisis counseling for a pre-approved duration paid for by Reliant.
UI Expand | ||
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See also: Stewardship of Health and Healthcare Resources Short-term counseling for International workers is available through Reliant's Employee Assistance Program. |
UI Expand | ||
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This communication device is required as part of the Item Preparation International Risk Levels and will be reimbursable. |
UI Expand | ||
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A VPN is highly recommended for international workers to purchase to ensure security for website usage and is reimbursable. |
UI Expand | ||
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Sat phones are 100% reimbursable as non-taxable due to the necessity of the purchase for the ministry and associated safety concerns related to the ministry location. See Encryption, Privacy, and Online Security for details on VPN |
Immigration Fees
Mandatory fees paid to regulatory agencies and governing bodies.
- Visa Fees and related documentation, postage, photos, etc. are reimbursable
- Passport fees and related documentation, postage, photo, etc. are taxable and recovered through an ERB
- International driver's license fees- initial and renewal are taxable and recovered through an ERB
UI Expand | ||
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When reimbursing immigration fees, please fully explain how they relate to the ministry role: International placement; leading an international mission trip; overseeing international workers; etc. Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs. All immigration fees and related costs (such as travel for visa runs) related to family members are taxable and recovered through an ERB. When submitting an expense for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or child(ren), subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. |
Immunizations, Vaccinations
To the extent not covered by Reliant health plans, pre-field physicals, vaccinations, and immunizations (including oral vaccinations with a prescription) required for international placement or internship can be recovered through an ERB.
UI Expand | ||
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Please include a clinic or doctor’s receipt showing the immunization type and amount you paid. Remember to reviewRemember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs. When submitting an expense for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or child (ren), subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. |
(ren), subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. |
UI Expand | |||
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Reliant field workers often seek outside instruction for ongoing ministry and development in their role. These may be temporary, such as during a sabbatical or role transition, or ongoing and should be discussed with the local church/ministry to confirm the coaching is necessary for maintaining and improving skills needed for the worker's role. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist Note that the additional amount above the IRS rate will be added as an Expense Recovery Bonus (taxable). The IRS mileage rate for the second half of 2022 (expenses accrued July 1st - December 31st) is $0.625/mile.
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UI Expand | |||||||||
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| Needed for Submission |
UI Expand | ||
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Associates can reimburse any ministry-related mileage and should not subtract the 50 miles since they are not receiving a bonus through support goal submission. Paid employees may not reimburse local mileage in any way other than through a bonus on support goal submission. If an employee opted out of the support goal request, they have forfeited the benefit of receiving reimbursement for local mileage. |
Note |
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Key Change to Standard: In the past, the limit was defined as 100 miles away from home (each way). The standard has changed to 50 miles each way. Also, we are now clarifying that the 50 miles each way should be subtracted from the total mileage submitted. This is not a change, but a clarification. |
UI Expand | ||
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Will Preparation-International field workers are allowed to reimburse fees related to required will preparation up to $1000 per family. This amount is taxable and can only be recovered through an ERB. |
title | Tax Consulting |
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Language classes are reimbursable. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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Oral translator fees are reimbursable. Written translator fees are typically reimbursable, depending on the nature of the materials. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Tutoring fees are reimbursable. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist.
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UI Expand | ||
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To be eligible for this reimbursement, the worker must be hired with the intention of being employed at their overseas ministry location for one year or longer. A receipt is required for this reimbursement, regardless of the dollar amount. |
Anchor | ||||
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Licensed Counselor Expenses
(Relevant to those Reliant Field Workers who serve as licensed counselors as part of their Reliant ministry role)
Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Reminders | |||||||
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Counselor Supervision Fees | Available for counselors who require someone to supervise their counseling as part of a mentor/training program. |
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Counselor Dues and Subscriptions | For those counselors who have dues or fees for professional counseling organizations that provide support, resources, and/or training for licensed professional counselors. |
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Counselor Liability Coverage | For those counselors who desire additional liability coverage. |
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Anchor | ||||
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Coaching, Counseling, and Spiritual Direction Expenses
(Relevant to all Reliant Field Workers)
Reliant acknowledges the need for field employees to have access to resources that help them thrive in the context of their ministries. Among the variety of resources that are available to employees, we want to highlight the proper paths one should consider when seeking to recover expenses related to coaching, counseling, and spiritual direction.
Note |
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For coaching, counseling, and spiritual direction expenses, employees must submit a detailed receipt from the service provider that includes the provider's name, date of service, and the applicable charges. When submitting, a description of how the session's content applies to the worker's job description must be included in the form. |
Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Reminders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching | Reliant field workers often seek outside instruction for ongoing ministry and development in their role. These may be temporary, such as during a sabbatical or role transition, or ongoing and should be discussed with one's local supervisor or program team to confirm the coaching is necessary for maintaining and improving skills needed for the worker's role. Expenses related to coaching, as described above, are considered professional fees and can be recovered non-taxably through the standard reimbursement submission process. |
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Counseling | Personal counseling (counseling concerning issues and needs not related to one's role with Reliant) is not eligible for expense recovery via a reimbursement for ERB. Short-term personal counseling is available through Reliant's Employee Assistance Program. Additionally, employees who are enrolled in Reliant's insurance are welcome to cover counseling expenses through HSA funds. Personal development needs that are related to or impact an employee's role with Reliant, that have been recommended, required, or approved by one's local supervisor or program team are now recoverable through an ERB, with tax implications. These can include expenses related to professional counseling, biblical counseling, spiritual direction, marriage counseling, and family counseling.
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Spiritual Direction | Expenses relating to spiritual direction that relates directly to one's role with Reliant are now also recoverable through an ERB.
| Key Details |
Note |
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Key Change in Standard: Reliant no longer needs the field worker to collect a W-9 from a vendor (for Reliant to send the vendor 1099 for that year) if the vendor is paid by the Reliant field worker (in the form of reimbursement) and not sent payment directly from Reliant. |
UI Expand | ||
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Personal expenses related to moving, vehicles, etc., can be recovered through the International Expense Allowance. Receipts are not used for requesting the bonus. The bonus can be received before the purchase of the expense. |
Training and Development
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Webinars for global workers, security training, MTI intensives, CIT intensives, Life Impact sessions, etc. Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs. When submitting an expense for a non-employed/non-associate spouse or child(ren), subtract those family expenses from any other costs on the receipt and enter those family expenses as a separate expense line on the form. |
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Reliant field workers often seek outside instruction for ongoing ministry and development in their role. These may be temporary, such as during a sabbatical or role transition, or ongoing and should be discussed with the local church/ministry to confirm the coaching is necessary for maintaining and improving skills needed for the worker's role. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Language classes are reimbursable. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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| ||
Oral translator fees are reimbursable. Written translator fees are typically reimbursable, depending on the nature of the materials. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
UI Expand | ||
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Tutoring fees are reimbursable. Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist. |
title | Key Details |
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Add the name of the person that has been paid for this service and their country of residence to the expense submission form. If in a secure location, please email reimbursements@reliant.org the name and country of residence rather than adding it to the form. Reliant will need to run their name through the database to verify they are not on the terror watchlist.
Note |
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Key Change in Standard: Reliant no longer needs the field worker to collect a W-9 from a vendor (for Reliant to send the vendor 1099 for that year) if the vendor is paid by the Reliant field worker (in the form of reimbursement) and not sent payment directly from Reliant. |
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UI Expand | ||
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To be eligible for this reimbursement, the worker must be hired with the intention of being employed at their overseas ministry location for one year or longer. A receipt is required for this reimbursement, regardless of the dollar amount. |
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Licensed Counselor Expenses
(Relevant to those Reliant Field Workers who serve as licensed counselors as part of their Reliant ministry role)
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Expense Category
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Summary of Allowable Costs
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Key Reminders
Counselor Supervision Fees
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title | Key Details |
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Note |
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Key Change in Standard: Reliant no longer needs the field worker to collect a W-9 from a vendor (for Reliant to send the vendor 1099 for that year) if the vendor is paid by the Reliant field worker (in the form of reimbursement) and not sent payment directly from Reliant. |
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Note | ||
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Personal development refers to activities and efforts that enhance the employee's overall well-being, self-awareness, and personal skills. These can encompass a wide range of activities and may include but is not limited to professional counseling, biblical counseling, spiritual direction, marriage counseling, family counseling, and coaching related to aspects of life outside of the employee's ministry role. As established above, most personal development expenses are not recoverable through a reimbursement or an ERB. Some of these services can be recovered through an ERB with attestation that the service is crucial for the betterment of your professional job description. Professional development focuses on activities and efforts aimed at enhancing the employee's job-related skills, knowledge, and competencies. These are critical for career growth and may include but is not limited to job-related coaching (time/task management, ministry skills, leadership development, transitions, language learning), professional mentorship, debriefs, and pre-launch self-awareness training (International). These coaching expenses can be recovered through a standard non-taxable reimbursement |
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For those counselors who have dues or fees for professional counseling organizations that provide support, resources, and/or training for licensed professional counselors.
UI Expand | ||
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Example: American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) |
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For those counselors who desire additional liability coverage.
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title | Key Details |
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Additional liability coverage may be submitted taxably through an ERB for the hours that are worked for Reliant (not as a private business or practice).
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title | Important Reminder |
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Reliant's current coverage is $1 million per claim, with a total aggregate annual limit of $3 million.
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