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What are Reimbursements and Expense Recovery Bonuses?

We are using important new language for the Policy, Standard, and Forms in 2023.

• Expenses Reimbursement: Submission of expenses that qualify under IRS guidance as non-taxable reimbursable business (ministry) expenses are referred to as a “Reimbursement" on Reimbursements on the new Standard and Form.
• An Expense Recovery Bonus : Submissions requesting recovery of expenses that do (ERB), formerly known as taxable reimbursement, is applied when the submission of expenses does not qualify for non-taxable "reimbursement" under  IRS guidance are referred to as “Expense Recovery Bonus” orERB on the new Standard and Form. Expense Recovery Bonus (ERB) is the new term for what was formerly known as a taxable reimbursement. ERB payments take the form of a bonus, IRS guidance. These will take the form of a bonus, which will be treated as additional taxable wages (compensation) for the field staff. Since only paid employees can receive a taxable bonus, associates are associates are not eligible to submit a request for an ERB Expense Recovery Bonus or any expense with a taxable (ERB) component.

You will enter both reimbursements and expense recovery bonus expenses onto the same expense submission form. There will be separate expense submission forms for U.S., International, and Project Fund expense submissions. The new forms will be available on Solomon at the beginning of January.

Highlights of Significant New Changes in 2023

• The Ministry Expense Bonus amounts have changed. Previously Previously, the ME bonus was broken down into individual expense category maximum amounts. This will no longer be required. Reliant is now asking U.S. field workers to determine the appropriate total appropriate total ME Bonus amount amount (up to a specific, designated monthly total) based on the amount needed for the individual. In addition to this change, we have separated out monthly phone service expenses. This change allows you to receive funds to cover the monthly phone expense as non-taxable. The ability to create a new support goal (for U.S. field workers that are career workers not in an internship or residency program) using the new ME bonus and monthly phone service amounts will be available for submission on Staffnet beginning mid-late December. Please If your role at Reliant is eligible for this type of bonus, please review Ministry Expense Bonuses for more details on both the ME bonus and monthly phone service changes before submitting a new support goal. 
• Computers/, Equipment/Mobile Phone/Furniture: These categories have changed from 100% taxable to 75 % non-taxable , Mobile Phones, and Some Furniture- These items used to be 100% taxable. In the future, they will be 75 % reimbursable (non-taxable) and 25% ERB (taxable) with the requirement that you intend to work continue working with Reliant (at 20 hours or more ) with Reliant for the next 12 months in order to qualify). We have also increased the max limits to be greater and changed the number of years before you can purchase these items again. There is no longer a separate form for these categories of expenses, they will be submitted on the normal expense submission form. Please review the Standard for specific details for each type. 
• Local mileage for necessary ministry-related trips is now 50 miles each way from the starting ministry location ( rather than 100 )miles. Remember, you should subtract the local mileage from your total mileage submitted on the expense submission form. 
• Moving forward, Spiritual & Ministry Planning Retreats will require the submission of a Personal Development Plan We have added a new form for all expenses related to spiritual retreats. With the spiritual retreats, there will be a new requirement called a Personal Development Plan  (PDP). The A PDP will be a part of the normal annual job description submission and review. There is now a tab for the PDP in the job description form. submitted and reviewed as a tab in the regular annual Job Description form and process. 
• Others - you will find these and many other minor changes highlighted directly on the Standard PageThere are many other smaller changes that you will find within the Standard. For example, you no longer need to collect W-9s from vendor (professional fee) expenses. Please review the Standard to see the many highlighted changes.

Please don't hesitate to contact your Program Team Liaison (listed at the bottom of this page) if you need help navigating the new policy, standard, or form.

What Do I Need To Do?

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Questions?