Richard King
Puritan Board Senior
The topic came up in the RC Jr discussion and I just started wondering about the origin of incorporating and becoming a 501c3 government approved church. What is the history or thinking on that?
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Originally posted by SolaScriptura
Is incorporation required for tax exemption on both revenue brought in as well as for avoiding sales tax when making a purchase?
Originally posted by fredtgreco
Originally posted by SolaScriptura
Is incorporation required for tax exemption on both revenue brought in as well as for avoiding sales tax when making a purchase?
I don't think so, but then again I am not a tax attorney.
I believe that there are some tax exemptions available to the church even if it is unincorporated because of the history of church-state relations. (Chris Coldwell - any info here? ) But I also believe that in order to have an itemized deduction, an individual must show that it is given to a 501(c)(3) corporation.
Originally posted by webmaster
I have some things I am reading through now on tax law and so forth. I've found that the church is a lot more protected than we would imagine if we did not incorporate. People think that one "has to" incorporate in order to get the same tax benefits, but that's not true. There are some other things that work in our favor in the same way with the same ultiamte benefits.
Erastianism, though, I believe, is more of a plague on the church than one realizes with all that the government can do to the church as a result of a 501 (C)3. Its eye opening. No wonder Westminster outrightly rejected it.
Originally posted by fredtgreco
2. Limitation on liability. Without corporate limitation, it is likely that church members would be personally financially liable in the event of a judgment from a lawsuit (think child molestation case by a nursery worker) or failure to pay a loan on the property.
Originally posted by Richard King
Wow! There are several things listed that never would have occurred to me. Very interesting. And a little sad that it gets so complex to simply gather together with fellow believers to worship the Creator.
Originally posted by Puritanhead
A corporation is an "artificial person," and the state giveth and state taketh away.
Madison and Jefferson had it right in my state In my humble opinion about the non-establishment of religion, but then Jerry Falwell and the ACLU come along and screwed it up, in a lawsuit.
And I most definitely believe that Fred is right, in saying, "tax exemptions available to the church even if it is unincorporated because of the history of church-state relations." I concur, and have it on a good authority from a church-state constitutional guru.
Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel
The biggest problem (outside the erastian charge) with incorporation, is the fact that the minister can not speak for or against any particular political candidate. To me (to be blunt), this seems like accepting a bribe to shut up.