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The Daily Insight

What counts as housing allowance for pastors?

Author

William Smith

Updated on March 31, 2026

The actual amount of the Ministerial Housing Allowance is the lesser of the following, according to IRS guidelines: The amount actually spent to provide a home. The amount officially designated as housing allowance or • The fair rental value of the home, furnished, plus utilities.

Is housing allowance considered salary?

Is the housing allowance considered income and where do I report it? A minister’s housing allowance (sometimes called a parsonage allowance or a rental allowance) is excludable from gross income for income tax purposes but not for self-employment tax purposes. the amount actually used to provide or rent a home; or.

How much is government housing allowance?

GEHS Housing Allowance for Tenants: Employees who are tenants and have submitted proof of rental occupancy will receive the housing allowance as follows: Employees who are eligible to receive the housing allowance but do not own a house shall continue to receive R900 per month and the remaining R556.

How does housing allowance work?

A minister’s housing allowance (sometimes called a parsonage allowance or a rental allowance) is excludable from gross income for income tax purposes but not for self-employment tax purposes. the fair market rental value of the home (including furnishings, utilities, garage, etc.).

Do pastors make good money?

Most pastors are paid an annual salary by their church. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016 the average salary was $45,740 annually, or $21.99 hourly. At the low end, members of the clergy earned only $23,830 annually, and the highest earning pastors earned $79,110.

A minister who receives a housing allowance may exclude the allowance from gross income to the extent it’s used to pay expenses in providing a home. Generally, those expenses include rent, mortgage interest, utilities, and other expenses directly relating to providing a home.

Where does a minister report housing allowance?

The fair rental value of the home, including furnishings, utilities, garage, etc. The minister’ reasonable pay. Employers typically report housing allowances in box 14, Form W-2. Housing allowances are not included in taxable wages in box 1.

Do pastors pay tax on housing allowance?

If you are employed as a member of the clergy, a religious order or as a regular minister of a religious denomination, you must report your employment income like any other taxpayer. If you receive a housing allowance, it is considered to be a taxable benefit and will be shown on your T4 slip in Box 30.

How do I report my pastors housing allowance?

To inform the pastor of the housing allowance amount, the church may include it in an official letter or show it on Form W-2 in box 14. Box 14 is an informational box only, so employers have some flexibility in how they use it. The church can report the pastor’s housing allowance by writing something like “Housing: 20,000” in that box.

Who is responsible for a minister’s housing allowance?

Once the church has made the official designation, their only responsibility is to pay the housing allowance and record it properly. The allowance should be paid along with the minister’s regular wages, but the amount is not included with wages on Form W-2. In fact, the church does not report the housing allowance to the IRS at all.

Do you have to report Housing Allowance to IRS?

In fact, the church does not report the housing allowance to the IRS at all. If it’s on the W-2 as wages, it’s taxable, so make sure your church does it right. That’s why you need to be extra nice to whoever does your church’s payroll.

Can a pastor move from a parsonage to housing?

a pastor who, for the first time, is moving from a parsonage or a pastor who is receiving his/her first appointment. A pastor moving from a housing allowance to a housing allowance shall not be eligible to receive these funds. A pastor will be eligible for this assistance one time, either when he/she moves from