joanmcq Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 New client is a retired counselor and joined a small religous order that provides care to the sick and dying. The order is worldwide, but he is pretty much it in my city. He does mostly administrative work for the order, but does some counseling, and provides support to others in the order. He is not paid, but gives much of his pension and social security to the order. Part of his home is used for storage for vestments, etc and for admin duties. When other members of the order come to town, they stay at his residence. He owns the property, not the order. Some questions: Does anyone see how a designated housing allowance could help him, or would donation to order, then housing allowance back be fishy? I've told him I need a letter specifying a dollar figure for how much he's given to the order for charitable contributions. He has sometimes taken money back to pay the mortgage, etc. If they designated a housing allowance, is it subject to SE since he is not retired from the order? Is there a way for the church to pay for part of the house, or have him deduct the part that is used for the church? He brought up OIH, but it doesn't seem appropriate. I've quizzed him as to how monks, nuns, priests handle returns when they have taken vows of poverty and live at a monastary, since this model seems to fit better than the model of a pastor/church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gail in Virginia Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 If I am not mistaken, housing allowance is only available to ordained clergy, and it doesn't sound like he is ordained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaJoe Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 If he "donates much of his pension and social security" to the order and if he has mortgage interest, how much in taxes does he pay? Unless it's a big pension or he has other income that you haven't mentioned, I wouldn't expect him to have a big tax liability. I wouldn't put a big effort into saving $100 or so in taxes. If a lot of taxes are involved, give us some more information and maybe we can come up with suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted June 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 He is ordained. In fact I'm invited to his 25th aniversary of his ordination this summer. His order split from a larger one (I can't remember which one it is) due to disagreements over homosexuality. I've also been asked for consultation regarding their finances and how to structure the various chapterhouses, etc to benefit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainen Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 >>I've also been asked for consultation regarding their finances and how to structure the various chapterhouses, etc to benefit them.<< You should get one of those books about taxation of clergy. CCH probably has one, or Thomson, etc. There are a whole lot of special issues. I should get one of those myself. I'm always being surprised by new things. My office is near to a large church that has lots of ministers and for some reason they never seem to stay very long. Every year there are new people with new ideas about that "render unto Caesar" thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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