finance/finances
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Posted on May 4, 2012, 2:29 pm
Topics: Caring
Got a good idea for programming that will minister to kids with disabilities? CVS is offering grants up to $5000 to support nonprofit organizations raise awareness in schools and communities about the importance of inclusion, build barrier-free playgrounds, and provide medical rehabilitation and related services to children with disabilities.
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Posted on November 28, 2011, 3:07 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Financial Management
Did you know there are books written on the subject of taxes and ministers? The annual paperback I most frequently recommend to a U.S. minister or church who is asking questions is Worth's Income Tax Guide for Ministers by B.J. Worth. This book provides information on income and fringe benefits, parsonage allowance, professional expenses, social security/retirement planning, and overseas missionaries.
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Posted on November 15, 2011, 2:58 am | 5 comments
"You Add, God Multiplies" is more than a catchy phrase, it's the reality of what happens when, as churches, we pool our resources to accomplish more ministry than we could do each on our own. Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion about what Ministry Shares are and what they do...
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Posted on October 25, 2011, 3:07 pm
Topics: Caring
This website has a calculator to help people receiving public disability benefits determine how their income, benefits, and health coverage could be affected if they go to work.
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Posted on August 22, 2011, 9:06 am | 2 comments
Topics: Web
Who doesn't love a good deal? There's that shirt you found hidden on the clearance rack or the coupon you used at the restaurant for dinner. In the same way your church can get deals on technology services and software. Is your church taking full advantage of all the available discounts and freebies that it can?
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Posted on June 21, 2011, 10:46 am | 6 comments
Topics: Financial Management
Two years ago your youth pastor asked if the church could cover her cell phone costs related to her church work. You agreed that the youth pastor needed texting and a cell phone and covered the costs. Now your Senior Pastor and Congregational Care Pastor use their cell phones a lot for church related work also. Should the church have a cell phone policy? How much do you cover on each of their cell phones?
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Posted on May 9, 2011, 2:32 pm | 11 comments
Topics: Financial Management
US churches may qualify for a "health insurance credit" for 2010 if they file for the refund by May 15, 2011. The credit is up to 25% of the cost of qualifying health insurance premiums. This is defined as the premiums paid directly or reimbursed to church employees.
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Posted on May 3, 2011, 9:05 am | 1 comment
Topics: Financial Management
On Sunday our members received a letter in their mailboxes from Pastor Paul. It started with "I want to share with you a courageous leadership decision made by our Administrative Elders and Deacons and subsequently endorsed by the full Council. In spite of a budget that continues to show deficits, we decided to step out in faith and pay 100% of our pledges
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Posted on April 12, 2011, 1:08 am | 1 comment
Did you know that our denomination provides grants for smaller churches to use to purchase new technology? The grants are provided by the Sustaining Congregational Excellence (SCE) program, which “is predominantly for smaller congregations in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
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Posted on April 11, 2011, 4:30 pm | 2 comments
Topics: Financial Management
Your pastor is retiring later this year and your church members would like to collect money from the congregation as a retirement gift. Is this gift from the church taxable to the pastor? Should the members receive a charitable contribution receipt from the church for this gift?
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Posted on April 4, 2011, 8:48 am | 1 comment
Topics: Youth
If you’re asking this question, you probably know the answer. COULD your congregation ever invest enough in youth? I don’t think so. I know I’m preaching to the choir here. But having more money and investing in youth are not the same thing. Do you even know what you would do with more money?
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Posted on March 7, 2011, 5:29 pm | 2 comments
Topics: Financial Management
If you ended your fiscal year on December 31, you probably have your financial reports completed. Did Council review those statements? Did you make them available to the congregation? Have you thought about a financial review or audit each year? Check out the financial review ...
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Posted on February 14, 2011, 5:02 pm | 5 comments
Topics: Financial Management
Have you promoted electronic funds transfer and bill pay as alternatives for members to support the local church? Check out some ideas here that may be useful for churches to provide inexpensive electronic alternatives.
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Posted on January 31, 2011, 4:55 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Financial Management
Does your church assist staff other than a Minister of the Word with retirement plan contributions? If we are going to be responsible employers, we should assist all our employees in saving for retirement. In the US this could be a contribution to an IRA, a 403b or 401k plan... A choice in Canada is a contribution to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).
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Posted on January 17, 2011, 3:36 pm
Topics: Financial Management
I started using the Zondervan "Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide" by Dan Busby a few years back. I just ordered the 2011 edition for 2010 tax returns and received it from Amazon. I recommend that every US church own this book as a resource for their church treasurer, administrator, and/or bookkeeper.
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