Notes on Church Paperwork

Plain-English guidance on the documents churches actually need. 10 published so far.

Child Safety Policy for Churches: What It Must Cover

A church child safety policy needs screening, supervision, reporting and records. Here are the sections it must cover and how each one works in practice.

Accountable vs. Non-Accountable Plans: The Difference

Accountable vs non accountable plan: same receipt, two tax outcomes. What separates the two for a church, and how churches drift into the wrong column.

The Parsonage Allowance vs. the Housing Allowance

Parsonage or cash housing allowance? They work differently, cap differently, and both must be designated in advance. Here's the comparison, side by side.

Offer Letters for Church Employees

A church offer letter should state the terms and stop there. What to include, what to leave out, and the promises that turn a letter into a contract.

The Form 4361 Decision Tree: Walk It Before You File

Should I file Form 4361? Usually no. Walk the conviction test, the deadline and the permanence before you sign anything you cannot take back.

The Minister Qualification Test: An Honest Self-Assessment

Am I a minister for tax purposes? It's a test, not a job title. Walk the five factors honestly, and be willing to land on no, because plenty of roles do.

The Housing Allowance Designation Checklist for Treasurers

The housing allowance checklist for treasurers: what to confirm before the vote, what the minutes must show, and what to hand payroll afterwards.

The Benevolence Application: What to Ask For

The benevolence application church staff can use in a hurry: what to ask, what never to ask, and what the file has to show two years afterwards.

Adopting an Accountable Plan: The Board Resolution

An accountable plan only exists once the board adopts it. What the accountable plan resolution must contain, and the three rules the policy has to enforce.

The Board Resolution That Designates a Housing Allowance

The resolution is the evidence. What a housing allowance board resolution has to say, who votes on it, and why it only ever works going forward.