If you are a minister, pastor, priest, rabbi, etc., you are given special benefits when it comes to how you are taxed by the IRS. This also means that preparing your taxes is more complex than for the typical taxpayer. It is certainly not something you want to trust to an accounting firm that isn’t experienced in preparing taxes for clergy.

The IRS considers you to be a minister if you are a, “duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church.” Directing worship services, maintaining a religious organization, and teaching at a seminary are all examples of duties that might be performed by a “minister” in the eyes of the IRS.

Especially if you receive compensation that is unique to ministers, like a housing allowance (parsonage), it will be to your advantage to let the specialists at Ellsworth & Associates assess your situation and determine what course you should take in filing your income taxes.