People need to understand that Sec. 501 C 3 grants an exemption from Federal Income Tax.
Just as an example, here is the State of California's policies on Real Property Tax Exemptions for Churches.
http://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub48.pdf
Multiply this by 50 in order to comprehend the dizzying variety of rules just on property tax exemptions.
Churches are liable for Social Security taxes on employees but even here special deals are granted to the so-called "ministers" who gt to be treated as self-employed - even though they are not.
Churches are exempt from Federal and State Unemployment Taxes which means that when a church goes belly-up - as happens all the time - its employees get to collect unemployment insurance despite no one having paid into the system for them. Just another little subsidy for this god shit.
Finally, churches are not required to withhold income tax from the salaries paid to the ministers - although the minister can voluntarily decide to have them do so.
Then there is sales tax. Again, this is a state-by-state regulated determination with the added proviso that there are numerous local sales tax entities which may have their own rules.
The 501 C 3 has no bearing on sales taxes beyond the fact that if you do not have a 501 c 3 determination from the IRS you won't even get in the door of the state/municipal agencies.
Just as an example, here is the State of California's policies on Real Property Tax Exemptions for Churches.
http://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub48.pdf
Multiply this by 50 in order to comprehend the dizzying variety of rules just on property tax exemptions.
Churches are liable for Social Security taxes on employees but even here special deals are granted to the so-called "ministers" who gt to be treated as self-employed - even though they are not.
Churches are exempt from Federal and State Unemployment Taxes which means that when a church goes belly-up - as happens all the time - its employees get to collect unemployment insurance despite no one having paid into the system for them. Just another little subsidy for this god shit.
Finally, churches are not required to withhold income tax from the salaries paid to the ministers - although the minister can voluntarily decide to have them do so.
Then there is sales tax. Again, this is a state-by-state regulated determination with the added proviso that there are numerous local sales tax entities which may have their own rules.
The 501 C 3 has no bearing on sales taxes beyond the fact that if you do not have a 501 c 3 determination from the IRS you won't even get in the door of the state/municipal agencies.
