Arlene L Shults, CPA

Cherry Hill, NJ

tel. 856-874-1890

​fax. 856-874-1899

Clergy; Special People with Special Rules

In an effort to demystify the VERY ADVANTAGEOUS and VERY CONFUSING IRS HOUSING ALLOWANCE, we are working to include resources for Clergy on our site and YouTube channel!  Our two latest documents are hot off the press, and we cannot thank The Reverend Valerie Balling enough for her help in the process!  Feel free to click the buttons to the right to download your copy.  We are working to put these into video format to further assist in proper Housing Allowance calculations!

Members of the Clergy have their own complex set of rules, adjustments, and allowances from the IRS.  The Clergy Member's W2, and their Housing Allowance are typically the most misunderstood areas.  We have many Clergy clients from all denominations, including Retired Clergy.  Let us help you maximize the wonderful IRS benefits of being an active or retired Clergy Member!   

This video is for the Clergy Member and the person responsible in preparing the Clergy W-2

The IRS authored a Minister's Audit Technique Guide.  This is what an auditor will reference if you are selected for audit.  As one could certainly imagine, the Housing Allowance takes up a significant portion of the document!  This sentence really drives home the importance of having a professional provide the Fair Rental Value: "Determining the fair rental value is a question of all facts and circumstances based on the local market, but the church and minister have often already agreed on a figure and can provide documentary evidence."