International Staff

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

Overview

Ministry Expense Bonus

Ministry Expense (ME) Bonus is available for Reliant employees (associates are not eligible) to cover reasonable and necessary taxable expenses through a monthly payroll addition. The Ministry Expense Bonuses paid are proportionate to the hours worked, must relate closely to actual expenses incurred, and also provide a reasonable financial standard under which to operate.

The ME Bonus is for employees to cover routine, ongoing ministry expenses. This taxable bonus will be added to a paycheck each month. Expenses typically covered by an employee’s ME bonus include; meals with co-workers, gifts for co-workers, monthly internet costs, local mileage (under 50 miles one-way) and tolls for normal commutes for local ministry, local parking under $10, HSA employee contributions (if on Reliant’s medical insurance plan), and other routine and ongoing ministry expenses. These routine and ongoing expenses are designated for recovery solely through the ME Bonus and are not eligible for reimbursement through any other submission types (for US-based staff). Field workers may set the monthly ME bonus amount they think is appropriate to cover these frequent monthly expenses (up to the limits set below). The ME Bonus amounts are set and approved during the support goal submission process.

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 taxable amount requested for the ME bonus.

The ME Bonus for Full-Time and 30-hour employees is up to $600/month.
The ME Bonus for 25-hour, 20-hour, and hourly employees is up to $300/month.

Key Change to the Standard: 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 ME Bonus amount (up to a specific, designated monthly total) based on the amount needed for the individual. With the addition of the monthly non-taxable mobile phone service payment below, the total amount that can be received for routine, ongoing monthly expenses has been increased.

The 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

Employees may request a tax-free, monthly recurring payment in their paycheck for monthly phone services through support goal submission. Field workers may set the monthly mobile phone service amount they think is appropriate to cover their typically incurred monthly phone service expenses (up to the limits set below).

Up to $100/month for full-time and 30-hour employees
Up to $50/month for 25-hour, 20-hour, and hourly employees

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 the paycheck. This monthly request is distinct from a one-time phone purchase reimbursed through the normal expense submission.

See Reimbursement and Expense Recovery Bonus Standard for more details on expense submission.