Our church too is starting the research for the tools, software, and methods to stream live audio and video on the web. We are also reworking our website (not evident on line as yet) so that it is more of a a portal to our community of faith and would like to include podcasts and RSS feeds.
Our technology budget is not large and so we are trying to get the most for the least.
If you don't mind, could we share our research so that each of us doesn't have to spend inordinate amounts of time on this phase?
Thanks,
Greg B
Third CRC Administrator
www.third-church.org
Michelle - thanks for your answers. I would like to clarify my last question which wasn't stated very clearly. I was referring to a situation where an employer (our church is this case) pays a 3rd party (Lynden Christian School) for the church employee's health care premium which is under the spouse's group policy at the school. This is still considered non-taxable if the church requires proof of insurance. I refer to the 2013 Church & Clergy Tax Guide, pg.200- where it states " Church employee's health insurance premiums paid directly to employees are excludable from the employee's gross income for federal tax reporting purposes if the church requires proof that the employee paid the premium themselves. In other words, the church treats this arrangement like an accountable business expense reimbursement arrangement and only reimburses those expenses for which it receives adequate substantiation." I hope this clarifies what I was referring to.
Thanks for the timely posting of this important topic. Our church(3rd CRC), located in Lynden, WA, is just beginning to start the annual review of our group health care coverage to our full time employees. We, like many others, feel like there currently are so many unknowns in this arena that it it is even difficult to know which questions to ask, and which to ask first. We have been the recipeint of the small employer health care rebates which has somewhat eased our medical insurance costs and has kept our church from pursuing individual plan options.
Some questions: Has the small employer health care rebate program expired? I've never heard definitively.
Within the old health care system, a church employee could have the church pay directly (pre-tax ) all/part of his/her health care coverage even if was the employee was covered under his/hers spouse's policy. Does this continue under the new system?
I have other questions too, but better stop here and get back to work!
Posted in: Pastoral Declaration About Marriage to Use in Building Rental Policy?
Thanks Rich - very helpful,
Posted in: Were can I find guidelines and procedures for streaming worship services?
Hi Duane,
Our church too is starting the research for the tools, software, and methods to stream live audio and video on the web. We are also reworking our website (not evident on line as yet) so that it is more of a a portal to our community of faith and would like to include podcasts and RSS feeds.
Our technology budget is not large and so we are trying to get the most for the least.
If you don't mind, could we share our research so that each of us doesn't have to spend inordinate amounts of time on this phase?
Thanks,
Greg B
Third CRC Administrator
www.third-church.org
Posted in: U.S. Health Care Reform
Michelle - thanks for your answers. I would like to clarify my last question which wasn't stated very clearly. I was referring to a situation where an employer (our church is this case) pays a 3rd party (Lynden Christian School) for the church employee's health care premium which is under the spouse's group policy at the school. This is still considered non-taxable if the church requires proof of insurance. I refer to the 2013 Church & Clergy Tax Guide, pg.200- where it states " Church employee's health insurance premiums paid directly to employees are excludable from the employee's gross income for federal tax reporting purposes if the church requires proof that the employee paid the premium themselves. In other words, the church treats this arrangement like an accountable business expense reimbursement arrangement and only reimburses those expenses for which it receives adequate substantiation." I hope this clarifies what I was referring to.
Posted in: U.S. Health Care Reform
Thanks for the timely posting of this important topic. Our church(3rd CRC), located in Lynden, WA, is just beginning to start the annual review of our group health care coverage to our full time employees. We, like many others, feel like there currently are so many unknowns in this arena that it it is even difficult to know which questions to ask, and which to ask first. We have been the recipeint of the small employer health care rebates which has somewhat eased our medical insurance costs and has kept our church from pursuing individual plan options.
Some questions: Has the small employer health care rebate program expired? I've never heard definitively.
Within the old health care system, a church employee could have the church pay directly (pre-tax ) all/part of his/her health care coverage even if was the employee was covered under his/hers spouse's policy. Does this continue under the new system?
I have other questions too, but better stop here and get back to work!
Thanks!