Is Your Church Paying You Correctly?
Send me your latest pay stub. I'll tell you, for free, whether anything on it is costing you or your church money.
Your payroll company has to be told how to handle your pastors. Have they been told the right things? Most were set up once and never told again – so Social Security gets withheld when it shouldn't be, a housing allowance gets taxed as wages, and reimbursements land in your paycheck where they become taxable.
There's a good chance you or your church is giving the IRS money you can never use. I don't know about you, but I don't like giving the IRS extra money.
I'd rather not render to Caesar the things that are God's.
What I look for
Social Security and Medicare withholding – which a church generally shouldn't take out of a minister's pay at all.
Your housing allowance – whether it's being treated as tax-free income or quietly taxed as wages.
Reimbursements – mileage, books and conference costs that may be turning into taxable pay.
Withholding – and the April surprise. Your church can’t withhold Social Security from a minister’s pay, so for most pastors the largest tax on the return never comes out of a paycheck. I’ll tell you whether enough is being set aside before April does.
What you get
Within five business days, a one-page summary: what looks right, what looks off, and why it matters.
If something needs fixing, you'll also get a short note addressed to whoever runs payroll at your church. Forward it, and the conversation becomes "here's what an outside specialist found," not "I'd like to talk about my pay." (Having been on both sides of that board table, I promise the first one goes better.)
Your pay stub stays private
Uploads go through a secure form, not email.
Only I see them.
Cover your Social Security number and bank account numbers before you upload – I only need the pay lines.
Your documents are deleted once your results are sent.
Quick Questions
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Yes. No sales call required to get your results. If your church or your return needs more help, you'll see how I can help – what you do with that is up to you.
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Only if you want them to. If something needs fixing, the form lets you give me permission to send a short note straight to the person who runs payroll, so you don’t have to be the one to bring it up. Leave that box unchecked and I won’t contact your church.
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Sure – just fill in the form with the pastor's information.
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Especially then. Send the stub from the church.
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Yes. I read your withholding differently, and the other checks apply just the same. Opted-out pastors often have the most riding on what their church provides.
This is an educational review of how your pay is being handled, not tax preparation or legal advice. Every situation has its own wrinkles, so talk to a tax professional before you change anything.