“Join us for this informational and instructive seminar!” said an invitation to the annual Clergy Tax Seminar taking place as a virtual, online event on Jan. 16, 2021. Sponsors are the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry, and Bethany Theological Seminary. The seminar is recommended for seminary and academy students, pastors, and other church leaders who wish to understand clergy taxes including treasurers, steward commission chairs, and church board chairs.
Participants will learn how to prepare clergy taxes correctly and legally and how to comply with regulations while maximizing tax deductions, and may earn .3 continuing education units for attending the first session.
Session 1, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Eastern time): Focus on the rules surrounding clergy tax returns, including who is subject to those rules, what income is subject to tax, and how to reduce total tax liability using various methods such as a housing allowance, business expenses, and medical reimbursement plans. Credit for 0.3 CEUs will be available for attending Session 1 only.
Session 2, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Eastern time): Complete a clergy tax return using H&R Block’s highest tier (Premium and Business) downloadable software.
Leadership is provided by Deb Oskin, who has been doing clergy tax returns since 1989 when her husband left seminary to pastor a small rural Church of the Brethren congregation. She has worked as a tax professional with H&R Block for 12 years, and in 2011 started her own tax practice specializing in clergy taxes. In addition she is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. Currently she is serving on the denomination’s Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee.
Registration costs $40 per person. Current students at Bethany Seminary and Earlham School of Religion and students in the academy’s TRIM, EFSM, and SeBAH programs may attend at no cost although registration is still required. Instructions and handouts will be sent a few days prior to the event. Registrations are not complete until payment is received.
The registration deadline is Jan. 6, 2021. Go to https://bethanyseminary.edu/brethren-academy/clergy-tax-seminar .
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