taxes

Factual Questions
1

I heard it was possible to get out of taxes by being a priest, preacher, etc. of a religion…is this possible? If so can you say you are a priest of your own (made up) religion?..if so what are the requirments to actually being considered a priest of a religion, also what might the requirements be to call your belief a religion?..in case anyone is wondering i’m not trying to get out of taxes, i’m only 17 therefore i don’t necessarily have a whole lot of taxes to get out of, i’m just curious.

p.s. In case any of you out there are trying to accuse me of using idol in place of idle in my user name you are wrong…it is correct.

2

Men of God still have to pay income taxes. [sub]And just in case you were wondering, they work more than one hour a week.[/sub]

3

They pay taxes, but I’m pretty sure there are tax advantages to being a man (or woman) of the cloth. For sure in Canada there are, where my father-in-law was ordained. I don’t know the specifics however.

4

kniz is correct. Clergymen can get many tax breaks. For instance, nonprofit church groups are not required to pay sales tax on many of their purchases. Nevertheless, clergy have to pay income tax the same as any other wage earners.

In the early 1980s I was a contact representative for the IRS just as clergyman were required to do withholding for the first time. (This seems to be my night for being able to draw on old jobs; I just contributed to a discussion about Night Vision elsewhere ont his board). I recall how flat-out amazed some ministers were when I explained how much they had to pay in withholding, and how often; after years of telling their congregation to cough up, they were, for the first time, getting an appreciation of how their flock actually lived.

5

are you saying the religion has to be about God?..obviously they work more than an hour a week, sir dum E. , there’s usually a wednesday mass of some sort right?..hehe j/k though i know it takes a lot of prep time to deliver a sermon, don’t misjudge me and start thinkin i’m the antichrist or something, i’m just curious about the laws…and i’m not saying they don’t have to pay any taxes, i’m just wondering about a cut of some sort in what they pay