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title	Relevant Forms

Note
Key Change to the Standard: The term Expense Submission is now used rather than simply Reimbursement when describing a submitted expense since an expense could be a Reimbursement or an Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB), and both are submitted on the same form.

Current approved Expense Submission Request Forms are required for expense submission.

U.S. Expense Submission Form
International Expense Submission Form
Project Fund Expense Submission Form
Continuing Education Form (all costs associated with continuing education must be submitted using only this form, and pre-approval is required)
Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreat Form (all costs associated with Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats must be submitted using only this form, and pre-approval is required through a Personal Development Plan)

Note

Key Change to the Standard: Please note there are a few changes to our forms.

There is now a separate form for all Project Fund expenses. These are no longer entered on the U.S./International expense submission forms.
There is now a separate form for Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreat expenses.
There is no longer a separate form for Computer and Equipment expenses. Those expenses are submitted on the normal expense submission forms (U.S./International/Project Fund) linked above.
There is no longer a separate form for Spouse and Family expenses. Those expenses are submitted on the normal expense submission forms (U.S./International/Project Fund) linked above, but those expenses should be divided up (if combined on the same receipt with expenses for an employee/associate) and entered into a different line on the form.

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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title	Key Components of Any Expense Submission

An explanation for each expense submitted, including:

Description of the expense

Whom the item is for:

First and last names of the people involved
The ministry relationship of the person(s) to the field staff. If the expense relates to five or more people, list them as a group with a specific number in the group (e.g., 12 ministry partners). Actual names are not necessary for groups of five or more people. Actual first and last names are required if the relationship is not uniform with all group members.
Specific ministry purpose of the expense (be as detailed as possible). For secure locations, please see Secure Lexicon for more details.
Cost of the item (the portion of the cost that is ministry-related, if not 100%)
Date of the expense (a new Reimbursement form is needed for each month in which an expense is incurred)
Itemized original receipts and other appropriate substantiating documents (if applicable) must be submitted with the form.

*Please refer to all Reimbursement Standards below, which detail receipt information and other specific criteria.

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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.

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.

Note
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.

Note

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

...

Paid to the Bank Account of Field Staff By...

...

Note
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

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.

Note
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.

Please reference the table below for the current submission timeframe.

Month in which expense was incurred	October 2025 (and previous months)	November 2025	December 2025	January 2026	February 2026
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	Expense recovery will be considered on a case-by-case basis with an exception request Any approved late submissions will be paid as an ERB with tax implications	Expenses are still eligible for recovery without an exception request All submissions from November will be paid as an ERB with tax implications	Non-taxable expenses remain eligible for recovery as a reimbursement December 2025 expenses submitted after 2/28/26 become an ERB with tax implications	Non-taxable expenses remain eligible for recovery as a reimbursement January 2026 expenses submitted after 3/31/26 become an ERB with tax implications	Non-taxable expenses remain eligible for recovery as a reimbursement February 2026 expenses submitted after 4/30/26 become an ERB with tax implications

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
Payment Dates

Payment Dates

Expense Incurred...	Reimbursement Submitted by...	Paid to the Bank Account of Field Staff by...
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...
Last day of the month.	Payment included in the following month's paycheck.

Note
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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Review
Review

Submission Review and Approval

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	Funds1
	Funds1

Sufficient Funds

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Lack of Funding
Lack of Funding

Lack of Funding for Reimbursements and Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB)

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title	Back Reimbursement

Back Reimbursement

Here's a sample email of how to word the email.

Note
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

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.

Note
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

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.

Note
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 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)

Info
As a reminder, timecards must be up to date for hourly employees to be eligible to receive Reimbursements and ERBs.

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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. Among the most common reasons are issues such as missing or incomplete receipts, or items that are not reimbursable. 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 if a portion or the entirety of their submission is 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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	Group Purchases for Multiple Reliant Employees
	Group Purchases for Multiple Reliant Employees

Group Purchases for Multiple Reliant Employees

Reliant employees purchasing an expense or set of expenses for a group of Reliant employees (for example, a hotel room that will be shared, flights for a group, etc.) may only reimburse group purchases for multiple people from a project fund. For MTD funds, each employee must submit their own reimbursement form for their portion of the expense. If an employee seeks to reimburse group expenses from an MTD account, they must write out how they are paying the employee who purchased the expense for them (Zelle, Venmo, etc.) then use the Zelle or Venmo receipt, or a handwritten receipt from the person receiving the money, plus the original receipt for the purchase to submit their own expense via their own individual submission form. If funds are needed in order to pay the employee who made the original purchase, employees may request expense advances for the amount they need and then submit the receipts during the paydown process.

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title	Back Pay for ERBs

Back Pay for ERBs

Note
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

Exiting Employment with Unpaid Reimbursements

Note
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

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)

Info
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.

A formal exception request must be submitted if the expense was removed due to a policy issue.

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Receipt Guidelines
Receipt Guidelines

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title	Project Fund Expenses

Project Fund Expenses

In addition to individual MTD accounts, Reliant also manages funds for ministries, non-profits, and churches. Project fund expense submissions require approval by a designated authorized signer for the fund. When an expense is not directly related to a field staff's specific job role but is more closely aligned to a project or ministry, project fund expenses can be submitted using the Project Fund Expense Submission Form. Reimbursements from a project require all the same documentation as those from an MTD account and are processed according to the same submission deadlines.

These types of Reimbursements are paid directly from the project fund based on available funds and the order in which they were received. The MTD account balance the field staff is responsible for does not incur the expense for these reimbursed costs (therefore, the order of pay from the MTD account does not apply), so it is possible for an employee who has back pay and back Reimbursements to receive payment for a Reimbursement that was submitted to be paid from a project fund. Reliant pays project fund Reimbursements if there are available funds in the project fund. A project fund can accumulate back Reimbursements.

If an expense submitted through a project fund will be owned, stored, and considered solely the property of the church/ministry (with no personal usage by the individual submitting the request), then the expenses are attributable to the church/ministry, which is not taxed for expenses that are usually fully or partially taxed to the field staff MTD fund.

If an expense is not for an item that will be considered the sole property of the church/ministry, then a field staff can still specify that the project fund (rather than an MTD account) should be the source of funds for a Reimbursement or ERB. In the case of an ERB, the taxable expenditure (including expenses with a partial taxable component) is processed similarly to ERBs funded through MTD accounts. The ERB for project funds can only be routed through a paid employee's payroll; therefore, Reliant associates may not request an expense recovery using a project fund for payment for any taxable expenditures; therefore, Reliant associates may not request an expense recovery using a project fund for payment for any taxable expenditures.

In the rare event where a taxable expense is submitted on a Project Expense Submission Form, the expense can be received via that form, however, the expense will be charged to the MTD account of the submitting employee, since taxable expenses cannot be charged to project funds. If an authorized signer wishes for the expense to be deducted from project funds, they may request a funds transfer (including the 25% taxable bonus) out of the project fund and into the MTD account of the submitting employee.

Note
Key Change to the Standard: In the past, Project Funds could not be used to submit expenses that had a taxable component.

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Expense Category

Summary of Allowable Costs

Key Details

Ministry Expense (ME) Bonus

The ME Bonus is for field staff to cover routine, ongoing ministry expenses. Staff may request the following through support goal submission:

Up to $600/month for full-time and 30-hour employees

Up to $300/month for 25-hour, 20-hour, and hourly employees

International workers' amounts are needs-based

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title	Key Details

Routine and ongoing expenses in the example categories are designated for recovery solely through the ME Bonus and are not eligible to be submitted by U.S. employees for reimbursement through any other submission types.

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title	The following recurring expenses are included:

Meals with co-workers
Gifts for co-workers
Monthly internet costs
Local mileage (under 50 miles one-way) and tolls (normal commutes for local ministry)
Local parking under $10
HSA employee contribution (if you are benefits-eligible and are currently on Reliant's medical insurance plan)
Monthly subscriptions such as AppleCare warranties
Other routine, ongoing ministry expenses

Info
Monthly phone plan costs are calculated separately on the employee support goal submission to be entered as non-taxable and should not be included in the total amount requested for the ME bonus.

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title	Eligibility

Reliant provides an optional monthly taxable Ministry Expense (ME) bonus for paid U.S. employees to help cover routine, ongoing monthly expenses associated with the ministry. U.S. employees working full-time or 30 or more hours are eligible to request up to $600/month. U.S. employees working 25-hour, 20-hour, or hourly are eligible to request up to $300/month. ME Bonus requests are submitted through employee support goals.

International workers have their Ministry Expense amounts included with their needs-based salary. Therefore, these ME bonus amounts apply only to U.S.-based employees.

Associates are not eligible to receive this bonus.

Reliant does not require receipts for expenses included in the ME bonus. Field workers may set the amount they think is appropriate to cover their typically incurred monthly expenses (up to the limits set above).

Note

Key Change to the Standard: Previously the ME bonus was broken down into individual expense category maximum amounts. Reliant is now asking U.S. field workers to determine the appropriate total bonus amount (up to a specific, designated monthly total) based on the amount needed for the individual field worker. The total amount that can be received for routine, ongoing monthly expenses has been increased when you include the monthly mobile phone service non-taxable payment outlined below in the support goal submission total.

Local Mileage amount has also changed from 100 miles to 50 miles. Mileage over 50 miles one-way is now eligible to be submitted through an expense submission.

Monthly Mobile Phone Service

U.S. employees may request through support goal submission to cover monthly mobile phone services

Up to $100/month for full-time and 30-hour employees

Up to $50/month for 25-hour, 20-hour, and hourly employees

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title	Key Details

Expenses are paid out through a non-taxable monthly recurring payment included in the field worker's paycheck. Receipts are not required. This monthly request is distinct from a one-time phone purchase reimbursed through the normal expense submission form.

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title	Eligibility

For International employees, monthly mobile costs are included in their needs-based support goal submission, so the above amounts do not apply.

Associates are not eligible.

Note

Key Change to the Standard: Mobile phone service costs used to be included in the ME bonus total, which resulted in additional taxable income for field staff. Under the new Standard, mobile phone service costs are tax deductible. Paid employees may now submit a request through their support goal to recover monthly phone service payments through a non-taxable monthly amount included in their paycheck.

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Expense Category

Summary of Allowable Costs

Key Details

Hotel/Lodging

Up to $250/night for ministry trips

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title	Key Details

For more expensive locations, a higher amount may be approved as an exception request based on IRS Per Diem Rates for the travel destination.

If an additional hotel room is needed to accommodate space for family members that would not have been needed initially by the field worker, or if the cost is per person and the field worker brought family members, that additional room/cost can only be recovered through an ERB. Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family cost. 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.

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title	Needed for Submission

The full version of the hotel receipt that includes the field worker's name and receipts must be submitted for all lodging, regardless of the amount.

Choose to submit the receipt either on the month it was purchased, or the month the travel takes place since both dates are found on the receipt.

Remember, if lodging was shared with others, please follow the instructions above for shared expenses as two receipts will be needed.

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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title	Key Details

Redeemed travel points and applied travel credits cannot be reimbursed as a cash payment. Only the amount paid in cash after redeeming points can be reimbursed.

Baggage fees are for the transportation of luggage. The purchase of the luggage itself is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB due to the personal nature of the expense.

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title	Needed for Submission

Remember, Reliant needs the full version of the flight receipt that includes the field worker's name, itinerary, and the amount paid.

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.

Choose to submit the receipt either on the month it was purchased, or the month the travel takes place since both dates are found on the receipt.

Rental Car/Borrowed Car

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title	Rental Car, Rental Car Fuel, and Rental Car Insurance

Rental car, fuel receipts, and additional insurance purchased are all reimbursable. (See Auto and Rental Car Insurance)

Only fuel costs can be reimbursed for a rental car, not mileage.

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title	Borrowed Car

Only reasonable fuel costs can be reimbursed for a borrowed car, not mileage.

Additional financial compensation given to the car owner for the use of their borrowed vehicle cannot be reimbursed. (See "Gifts" below for details)

UI Expand

title	Key Details

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title	Needed for Submission

Rental Car:

Remember, Reliant needs the full version of the rental car receipt that includes the field worker's name. Rental car receipts are not required if the total expense is under $75.

Any costs associated with a rental car (fuel/insurance) must be submitted with a copy of the associated rental car receipt.

If submitting your rental car fuel receipts on a different form submission than the one that includes the rental car receipt, please include a copy of the rental car receipt for reference as part of the receipt submission and specify that the rental car submission was already previously submitted so that the reimbursement is not duplicated.

Choose to submit the receipt either on the month it was purchased or the month the travel takes place since both dates are found on the receipt.

Remember, if a rental car is shared with others, please follow the instructions for shared expenses.

Borrowed Car:

A fuel receipt and the trip's start/end location are needed for a borrowed car.

In the ministry purpose section on the form, also add the full name of the person from whom you borrowed the car and their relationship to you, total driving distance, and travel locations.

Info
Reliant offers guidance when deciding on Auto and Rental Car Insurance.

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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title	Key Details

The IRS mileage rate for 2026 expenses is $0.725/mile.

The IRS mileage rate for 2023 2025 expenses is $0.65570/mile.

Info
Reminder: Mileage cannot be reimbursed for a rental car or a borrowed car

Mileage for trips of 50 miles or less (each way) is considered to be among the routine expenses covered by the Ministry Expense Bonus and should not be submitted for reimbursement by an employee. Mileage for trips in excess of 50 miles each way may be submitted for reimbursement. For example, if a field worker were to take a ministry-related trip of 75 miles each way, they could submit reimbursement for 25 miles each way (75-mile trip minus the 50-mile ME bonus threshold).

UI Expand

title	Eligibility

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.

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title	Needed for Submission

Mileage:

Submit total mileage amount (after subtracting 50 miles each way) and the trip start/end location are needed.

Be sure to also subtract any personal mileage for any side trips during business travel from the total mileage you submit for reimbursement.

Carpool:

The above submission rules apply, and...

If the worker is the driver in a carpool: passengers will typically directly reimburse the driver for a portion of the mileage/gas cost by calculating the mileage rate for the ministry travel. The person submitting the expense would then subtract the amount received in gas money mileage from the total amount of mileage they could have submitted on the expense submission form. In the ministry purpose on the form, add the names of the passengers and their relationship to the worker and the money collected (specify the dollar amount from each listed passenger)

If the worker is the passenger in a carpool, when driving in another person's vehicle, reimbursement for the money given to the car owner for the passenger's portion of mileage cost may be reimbursed. The amount submitted for reimbursement cannot exceed the approved mileage reimbursement rate multiplied by the number of ministry miles driven. Enter only the mileage amount that adds up to the cost submitted for reimbursement on the form. A hand-written/emailed receipt from the car owner is required if more than $75 (please follow directions for what is needed when submitting a hand-written receipt and also include the locations travel (to/from) and the total mileage amount on the receipt.)

Note

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.

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.

UI Expand

title	Parking Permit

Parking permits at the primary place of ministry can be recovered through an ERB.

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title	Key Details

Local parking costs under $10 should be included in the monthly bonus support goal request and are not reimbursable.

Other Transportation

Taxi, bus, rideshare (Uber/Lyft), train, water transportation, etc., when traveling on a ministry trip

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title	Key Details

Covid Testing

Mandated testing for COVID in order to travel

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title	Key Details

Only testing not covered by Reliant's health plan can be reimbursed.

Visa and Passport

Mandatory fees paid to regulatory agencies and governing bodies (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)

Visa Fees and related documentation are reimbursable
Passport fees and related documentation are taxable ERB

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	Travel
	Travel

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title	Key Details

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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title	Key Details

We encourage participants of the Reliant-offered health plans to utilize their medical and prescription care benefits to hopefully decrease their out-of-pocket costs, and whenever possible to utilize their HSA savings accounts to cover these expenditures.

Prescription medicines prescribed by a doctor or recommended by the CDC specifically for ministry travel to a country outside of your normal ministry location (such as malaria pills) are reimbursable

Other over-the-counter medications purchased for use during ministry travel to a country outside of your normal ministry location are reimbursable. Please limit the quantity of medication to correlate with the length of the mission trip. This type of expense should be limited to medications you don't normally utilize personally on a regular basis.

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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title	Key Details

See also "Meals/Groceries (not related to travel)" below. Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs.

Alcohol may not be purchased using Reliant funds. (To simplify the reimbursement process, we suggest that if you purchase alcohol, ask for it to be put on a separate bill from the meal being reimbursed) If it was included on the same bill, subtract the cost of the alcohol from the reimbursement total and add a note explaining why the request to reimburse is less than the total amount on the receipt. The expense submission form will ask to verify that no expense amounts submitted include the cost of alcohol.

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title	Needed for Submission

Add the type of meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and the meal's location (name of restaurant, etc.)

Include the participant information in the ministry purpose if others were in attendance. (If fewer than 6 people include 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.

If the meal is with another Reliant staff, please include in the ministry purpose "The purpose of the meeting and the name of the Reliant staff member serving at X location"
Always provide a legitimate reason why a spouse or family members were present at the meal. Itemize the meal expenses (on a separate line on the form) for spouses and family members that exceed the cost that would have been incurred if eating alone. Or, list these taxable spouse/family expenses as an amount that is a percentage of the total meal expenses on a separate line on the form.

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 the meal.

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If over $75, remember to include both the itemized receipt and the credit card receipt showing the tip with your submission.

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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title	Key Details

Monthly internet access at home should be requested through ME Bonus and support goal submission, not as a regular expense submission.

Travel Insurance

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title	Travel Assistance Insurance

While Reliant offers multiple Travel Assistance Programs, we do not have coverage for expenses related to canceled travel. Any coverage for travel assistance is a reimbursable expense. (See FAQ for Cancelled Trips)

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title	Supplemental Medical Travel Insurance

Supplemental medical travel insurance for short-term international trips can be recovered through an ERB. See Travel Insurance

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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title	Key Details

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title	Criteria

Expenses incurred by a Reliant Employee related to attending a wedding must meet these criteria to be reimbursable:

The employee must be either officiating the wedding or performing special music as an extension of their Reliant ministry role (family events excluded)

If the field worker is not officiating or performing special music (just attending the wedding as a guest), the employee must have performed pre-marital counseling as part of their role as a Reliant field worker. The pre-marital counseling must have occurred before the wedding and on numerous occasions for expenses to be reimbursable.

Expenses incurred during attendance at a funeral as part of a ministry role with Reliant (family events excluded) may be eligible to reimburse expenses.

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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title	Key Details

Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs when attending an event with a spouse or family. 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.

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Note: Marriage conferences/workshops must be directly connected to the job responsibility of the field worker (roles such as mentoring married couples or pre-marital mentoring) and the local church/ministry should be requesting that both spouses attend.

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title	Needed for Submission

In the ministry description on the form, add the specific name of the conference/retreat/event and explain why attendance was necessary as it relates to the ministry role.

The receipt should state:

Name of the event and dates the event was held
Cost of the event
Name and contact information for the organization or ministry that collected the fees.
Event receipts must be itemized to show the event cost plus any additional charges for food or items such as T-shirts, etc. If this breakdown is not included on the receipt, write notes on the submitted receipt detailing the breakdown of costs included in the total amount.

See also related links for events where registration and payment are processed through Reliant:

Event Fee Payments Made by Reliant Employee (for instructions on how to pay for Reliant events)
Reimbursements for the Event Fund (for purchases paid for by an event fund)

Mission and Outreach Trips

The fee(s) for the Mission and Outreach Trip are reimbursable.

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title	Key Details

The mission trip and outreach event should be directly relevant to the field worker's ministry and job responsibilities.

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title	Important Reminders

Personal supplies for a mission trip that are needed for travel for that specific location (luggage, bug spray, sunscreen, swimsuit, specific clothing) are not reimbursable due to the personal nature of the expense.

Remember to always fill out a travel notification form when planning for international travel.

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title	Eligibility

Reliant field workers are required to raise all funds through Reliant for any mission trip, even if the mission trip is sponsored by their local church or another ministry organization. (See Mission Trip Fundraising Policy for Reliant Missionaries.)

Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs and see also Children of Reliant employees participating in/attending International Event. 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.

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title	Needed for Submission

For any amount over $75, a receipt is needed for all mission trip fees from the mission organization. In case of multiple or installment payments, submit a receipt for each payment over $75.

Please review Travel Notification and fill out the appropriate form for either individual or group travel. It is important that the Reliant office knows when and where field workers are traveling in case of an emergency in the ministry location—also review Travel Insurance.

See also related links for mission trips where registration and donations are processed through Reliant:

Event Fee Payments Made by Reliant Employee (for instructions on how to pay for Reliant events)
Reimbursements for the Event Fund (for purchases paid for by an event fund)

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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title	Key Details

Expenses for Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats are not submitted through a normal expense submission form. There is a separate Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreat Expense Submission form for expenses related to this category.

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title	Important Reminders

Roles of Reliant field workers are often associated with unique demands and challenges that come with being a minister of the Gospel. Being able to take a day, or several days, away from the normal routine to pray, seek the Lord, plan for future ministry, and study the Word can be instrumental for staff.

Having the opportunity to take a spiritual/ministry planning retreat is not a guaranteed benefit. Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats need to be pre-approved by a supervisor and added to a Personal Development Plan at the beginning of each year. They should be required by the local ministry as part of developing the ministry of the field staff member.

Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats are not intended for general refreshment/relaxation/recharge time alone or with a spouse (Reliant's PTO policy better suits that purpose), nor are they considered an official Reliant sabbatical (see the Reliant sabbatical guidelines).

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title	Needed for Submission

All spiritual and ministry planning retreat expenses must be submitted on the spiritual and ministry planning retreat form. The expenses should be entered according to their individual expense categories.

Mileage to and from a retreat location, lodging, meals, and recreation activities (such as state park admittance, etc.) can be reimbursed with the following two limits:

A maximum of 5 days is eligible for reimbursement per year, regardless of whether the retreat is quarterly, bi-annual, or annual. (The 5 days can be spread throughout the year.)

$1,500 max total per year reimbursement is available for all travel and expenses related specifically to a spiritual and ministry planning retreat.

If the spiritual retreat occurs within a sabbatical plan, there is no max amount/days cap.

A Personal Development Plan should be linked to the submission of expenses with the supervisor's approval.

Note
Key Change to the Standard: All expenses for spiritual and ministry planning retreats are now submitted on a separate form.

Note
Key Change to the Standard: A personal development plan is now needed to explain how the field worker will use the spiritual and ministry planning retreat to develop in their role as ministry-worker. Local supervisor approval is also required.

Note
Key Change to the Standard: The total max amount is now $1,500 per year instead of $1,000.

Event Facility Rental

For rental facilities related to events: Room rental for an event, park shelter rental, etc. (Typically reimbursed through a project fund.)

...

(Relevant to all Reliant Field Workers)

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.

the key details for specific expenses that do not qualify for expense submission.

Expense Category

Summary of Allowable Costs

Key Details

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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title	Key Details

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title	Important Reminders

There is no limit to how often furniture can be purchased, nor is there a max cap amount on the purchase, but remember to follow the Standard criteria for what is reasonable and necessary to the specific ministry role.

Employees may submit a request on the expense submission form for a fully non-taxable equipment expense recovery by explaining how the furniture is 100% necessary to perform ministry-related work and provides only marginal or no personal benefit (such as the furniture being purchased for a church/ministry location rather than being used in a home for small groups).

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title	Eligibility

For Field Staff working 20 hours/week or more and intending to remain (20 hours or more) with Reliant for at least 12 months after the furniture is purchased.

Field staff working fewer than 20 hours a week are not eligible to purchase furniture. An appeal may be made through an exception request .

Associates are not eligible to purchase furniture due to the taxable component. (If an associate

However, there is a 90-Day Eligibility Extension for Taxable Expenses for Associates who are in "pre-employment" status. (See Associates for details)

Note

Key Change to the Standard:

No max limit amount (there used to be assigned limits); however remember criteria of reasonable and necessary will always apply

Furniture can be purchased as needed (it used to be only every 2 years for each type of item)

Furniture is now 75% nontaxable and 25% taxable. It was previously 100% taxable

For field staff working 20 hours or more and intending to remain on staff for at least 12 months

Meals/Groceries (not associated with travel)

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	#Meals
	#Meals

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

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title	Dormitory Meal Plan Pass

Dormitory Meal Plan Passes, when used exclusively for conducting ministry per Reliant worker role (for example on a college campus), can be reimbursed at a max of $480 for a semester pass.

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title	Key Details

Remember to review non-employed/non-associate spouse and family costs.

Alcohol may not be purchased using Reliant funds. (To simplify the reimbursement process, we suggest that if you purchase alcohol, ask for it to be put on a separate bill from the meal being reimbursed.) If it was included on the same bill, subtract the cost of the alcohol from the total amount and add a note explaining why the request to reimburse is less than the total amount on the receipt. The expense submission form will also ask to verify that no expense amounts submitted on the form include the cost of alcohol.

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Meals need to meet one of these two guidelines:

Directly ministry-related (the primary purpose of the meal was the active conduct of ministry) or...
Closely connected to the ministry activity (ministry discussion occurred directly before, during, or after the meal or hospitality event.)

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title	Eligibility

Normal meals with co-workers are not eligible to be reimbursed through normal reimbursement but should be included in the recurring expense through support goal submission.

Associate staff may be eligible to reimburse reasonable meal expenses with other Reliant staff as long as there is a valid ministry purpose where the associate is performing their associate ministry role and the meal is not primarily social/fellowship in nature. Associate meals are reimbursed at the discretion of Reliant.

Note
Key Change to the Standard: The dormitory meal plan passes increased from $160/semester to $480/semester.

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title	Needed for Submission

Include the type of meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and the meal's location (name of restaurant, etc.)

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.

If the meal is with another Reliant staff, please include in the ministry purpose "Reliant staff member serving at X location"
Always provide a legitimate reason why a spouse or family members were present at the meal. Itemize the meal expenses (on a separate line on the form) for spouses and family members that exceed the cost that would have been incurred if eating alone. Or, list these taxable spouse/family expenses as an amount that is a percentage of the total meal expenses on a separate line on the form.

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If over $75, remember to include both the itemized receipt and the credit card receipt showing the tip with your submission.

Books

Books that are ministry-related (they do not need to be religious in nature).

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title	Key Details

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title	Needs for Submission

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
Key Change to the Standard: The book's author is no longer needed on form submission.

Continuing Education

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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title	Key Details

These expenses require a special form. See Continuing Education for more details and the specific form to use.

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Needs pre-approval through continuing education before reimbursement can be submitted

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title	Needs for Submission

All continuing education expenses must be submitted using the Continuing Education Form.

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title	Eligibility

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.eligible.

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.

Counseling

Counseling is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB. (*International workers see International Worker Expenses)

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Short-term counseling is available through Reliant's Employee Assitance Program for those enrolled in Reliant's insurance.

Gifts

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	Gifts
	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)

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title	Key Details

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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.

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title	Annual Limits for Gifts

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.

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title	Needed for Submission

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:

If the group comprises people who share a uniform relationship with the field worker, list them as a group with a specific number of people and a description of their ministry relationship. Example: "12 ministry partners."
If the group comprises people with different relationships with the field worker, list each person's first initial and last name.

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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title	Key Details

Note
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

For gift cards received by a Reliant employee, see Gift CardsCard Giving FAQ for details.

Key Change to Standard: Reliant employees no longer have to turn in gift cards that they receive.

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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title	Key Details

U.S.-based employees can request a Moving Allowance using this form.

(For International moving costs see International worker expenses below)

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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title	Key Details

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
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.

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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title	Gym Memberships

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title	Gym Memberships

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title	Key Details

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.

Sabbatical Expenses

Reliant acknowledges that sabbatical expenses can vary significantly from person-to-person, and, that a number of sabbatical expenses can easily blur the line between professional and personal costs. In order to bring simplicity and clarity to the expense recovery process, Reliant offers a Sabbatical Bonus to cover most sabbatical-related expenses. See Taking a Sabbatical for more details.

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title	Key Details

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

Sabbatical Bonus is designed to cover most sabbatical-related expenses. Reliant employees who have received approval for their sabbatical may request a Sabbatical Bonus of up to $6,000 (plus an optional 25% taxable bonus). This bonus is designed to cover most sabbatical-related expenses including travel for rest/career evaluation purposes and family expenses.

Click here to access the Sabbatical Bonus Request Form.

On rare occasion, some sabbatical expenses can be reimbursable beyond the bonus. Examples of these expenses include a conference or training that an employee has been approved to attend while on sabbatical, along with work-related coaching that can be submitted through a normal reimbusrement form.

Subscriptions and Dues

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title	Online Gaming Subscriptions

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.

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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title	Key Details

Please limit bulk purchases of supplies to 4 months' worth of inventory to be stored at any given time.

Tax ConsultingOnly 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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title	Key Details

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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International Expenses
International Expenses

...

Expense Category

Summary of Allowable Costs

Key Reminders

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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title	Key Details

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

AdditionallyCounseling 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.

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title	Key Details

Short-term counseling for International workers is available through Reliant's Employee Assistance Program.

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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title	Sat Phone

This communication device is required as part of the Item Preparation International Risk Levels and will be reimbursable.

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title	VPN

A VPN is highly recommended for international workers to purchase to ensure security for website usage and is reimbursable.

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title	Key Details

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

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title	Key Details

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.

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title	Key Details

Please include a clinic or doctor’s receipt showing the immunization type and amount you paid.

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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title	Key Details

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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Reminder: Mileage cannot be reimbursed for a rental car or a borrowed car

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title	Needed for Submission

Mileage:

Submit total mileage amount (after subtracting 50 miles each way) and the trip start/end location are needed.

Be sure to also subtract any personal mileage for any side trips during business travel from the total mileage you submit for reimbursement.

Choose your desired additional mileage rate (select miles or kilometers) on the International reimbursement form.

Carpool:

The above submission rules apply, and...

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title	Eligibility

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.

Note

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.

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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title	Estate Planning

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.

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title	Tax Consulting

Tax Consulting-Reliant recognizes that some of our field workers have complex tax situations. Thus, we allow International workers to reimburse 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.

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title	Notary

Notary services are recovered through an ERB.

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title	Key Details

Note
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.

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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title	Key Details

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

For International workers pre-field readiness and training, debriefing, security training, webinars, etc.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

Webinars for global workers, security training, MTI intensives, CIT intensives, Life Impact sessions, etc.

Professional Fees

UI Expand

title	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.

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

title	Language Classes

Language classes are reimbursable.

UI Expand

title	Translator Fees

Oral translator fees are reimbursable. Written translator fees are typically reimbursable, depending on the nature of the materials.

UI Expand

title	Tutoring

Tutoring fees are reimbursable.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

Note
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.

Storage Fees

Reimbursement may be requested for storage costs for personal items stored in the U.S. while the worker serves at an international assignment when connected to an international move.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

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.

...

Note
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

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.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

Example: A Reliant employee has determined that they would like to achieve a higher quality of work in a certain area of their job description, such as one-on-one discipleship, teaching, etc. In order to help reach this goal, the employee meets twice with an outside third party who helps them figure out how to elevate their performance in the job area in question. These coaching expenses are considered professional fees and can be recovered non-taxably through the standard reimbursement submission process.

Job-related coaching can include receiving equipping in areas such as time/task management, ministry skills, leadership development, etc.

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.

Info

title	Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB)

An Expense Recovery Bonus (formerly known as a taxable reimbursement) is applied when the submission of expenses does not qualify for reimbursement under IRS guidance. These will take the form of a bonus, which will be treated as additional taxable wages (compensation.) Since only paid employees can receive a taxable bonus, associates are not eligible to submit a request for an ERB or any expense with a taxable component.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

Example: A Reliant employee is struggling though an issue that is either tangentially or directly related to their job description. In the event that the circumstances in question are causing aspects of the employee's personal and/or work life to be impacted adversely, the local supervisor or Program Team can advise professional counseling to address the issue. Upon recommendation and approval of the local supervisor or Program Team, expenses related to professional counseling are eligible for recovery through an ERB, with tax implications.

Formal approval from the supervisor is not required. Workers will attest on the submission that the local supervisor, MTD coach, or Program Team has been made aware of this need and has given their approval for related expenses to be recovered.

Spiritual Direction

Expenses relating to spiritual direction that relates directly to one's role with Reliant are now also recoverable through an ERB.

Note

title	Key Changes

Note that this is a change implemented due to the personal nature of spiritual direction, which requires the taxable component that is met through an ERB.

UI Expand

title	Key Details

Example: A Reliant employee finds themselves at a crossroards in their professional career, with a weighty and significant decision looming. In order to help them determine which path to choose, the employee meets once a week, for one month, with an outside third party who helps them discern God's will and the leading of the Holy Spirit in this particular matter.

Due to the personal nature of spiritual direction, the expenses incurred are recoverable via an ERB, with tax implications.

Note

title	Personal Development vs. Professional Development

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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Receipt Guidelines

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International Expenses