Housing Allowance Allocation

Question:   Pastor’s housing allowance is increased by church council resolution partway through the year.   How do I allocate compensation between housing allowance and reportable taxable income?

IRS code states that housing allowance must be declared prospectively, that is, before the funds are paid.    Once this is done, the first dollar of compensation is housing allowance, as is all compensation thereafter until the amount of Declared Housing Allowance is reached.

Example:  On Jan 4th, church council passes a resolution declaring that $24,000 of a pastor’s compensation of $84,000 ($7,000/mo.) is housing allowance.   For convenience, the church treasurer allocates each monthly check:  $5,000 taxable income, $2,000 housing allowance.    In late August, the pastor finds that his house has been severely damaged by termites, and that the damage will cost $35,000 to repair.   In response to his request, the council raises his housing allowance by $35,000 on September 1st.  

The calculation is done at the end of the year, before Forms W2 or 1099 are issued:

1.

Total compensation up to August 31st:         $56,000 (8 x $7000)

Declared housing allowance:                       $24,000

Taxable compensation:                               $32,000

 

2. 

Total compensation Sept. 1-Dec.31:         $28,000

Declared housing allowance:                    $35,000 ($35,000 + remaining unpaid), or $35,000 + $0

Taxable compensation:                            $0

 

3.

Total housing allowance:                         $24,000 + $28,000

Total reportable compensation:                $32,000 + $0

 

It would be incorrect to use the annual totals:  $84,000 – ($24,000 + $35,000) = $25,000 taxable compensation, since that would entail excluding from income compensation paid before declaration of housing allowance.

--Thomas Simon, MBA

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