People keep saying this. What do they have that could be taxed? It's easy to say, but what exactly would be taxable? Serious question.

If they were taxed like any other corporation:

Property
tithing (revenue)
payroll

Wasn't it estimated that they pull in 6 billion a year in tithing?

What should be taxed?

Many believe that all church property should be taxed.

However, I understand the writer's association between tithing & Utah tax rates (tithing is a deduction from taxable income, thus higher rates to fund gov't).

I agree with the writer.

The greatest and most important failure of the US government is the fact that organizations like the Mormon church are exempt from filing. Most 501 (c) organizations are required to file form 990, religions are excluded from that requirement. What this does is essentially exempt those organizations from GAP and IRS rules.

The church is doing its best to get rid of that exemption.

what should be taxed is their capital gains from investments in Blue chip stocks. their are numerous entities that are holding assets, and when one program needs money the money is funneled around in complex income streams to all meant to throw the public in understanding whats going on, cover the expenses. It's all by design. How about beneficial life? it's the term life insurance company worth 100 of millions, what is it's purpose exactly except? other than be a holding company for equities acquired for who knows whats purpose.

Actually, churches are taxed on capital gains, and business income. And salaries they pay anyone are taxed. They do get special treatment on rental income. Their church-related, as opposed to business related, properties are in general exempt from property tax. What constitutes church related property varies from country to country.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2018 09:44PM by Brother Of Jerry.

The church has a seperate corporation under the Presiding Bishop to handle all taxable income, investments and for profit corporations.

I'd like to see tithing no longer be tax deductible. That might be a wake up call to bothe the church and its members.

Churches are supposed to do good, not cause harm to children, ignore the poor and try to get all the unpaid labor it can.

"I'd like to see tithing no longer be tax deductible."

I agree.

Amen. I can't figure out how tithing is remotely a charitable contribution. All it does is subsidize the organization itself.

The article said that Utah taxes have to be kept high to compensate for the ten-percent tithing that the church members pay to the church and then deduct from their Utah taxes. Another way of saying that is that if you're not a mormon and you don't pay tithing, that you pay higher taxes to the state than you would pay otherwise. So in essence, you're taxed extra for being a non-mormon in a mormon state. The mormon church is like this large money-sucking parasite and because they are sucking on everyone's money, the state needs a higher percentage in taxes from everyone to make up the difference from the resulting losses in tax revenues.

Given the influence that organized religion has on U.S. politicians, Not Gonna Happen (other churches in M/L same situation).


Analogy: Suppose you're a supporter of some other cause such as Seniors / Youth Programs / disabled-disadvantage...


Would U wish your donations to be reduced or rewarded by the gov't?
That's what eliminating the deduction would result in, albeit indirectly.

I support charitable contributions being tax deductible.

My point is the mormon church does very very little in way of charity even to its own.

I believe donations to the mormon church itself such as tithing should not be tax deductible.

The church recently boasted having given 2 billion dollars in aid over a twenty year period. Average of 100 million year. With an average of 10 million members comes down to 10 dollars per member per year.

Bill Gates has donated over 20 billion in the same time period.
Maybe we ought to make purchases from Microsoft tax deductible.

The writer misread the law. Churches cannot (legally) participate in political campaigns for politicians. They can take positions on issues, though they are limited in how much of their budget can be spent lobbying for issues. LDS Inc opposing Utah Prop 2 does not violate the IRS code.

You may think it should be a violation, and if so, then we need to lobby to change the IRS code.. But if they (churches) can't take stands on issues, even when tax-exempt, and they are not spending substantial funds on the issue, you open up some nasty free speech issues. You might want to think that through carefully.

FWIW, under the new personal income tax regs in the US, quite a few people will not need (or have sufficient deductions to qualify) to itemize deductions. That effectively means they can't deduct their tithing. Even if they can itemize, unless their itemized deductions go way beyond the standard deduction, most of their tithing would have been tax free under the standard deduction anyway, and it is only that part of your itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction that has any effect on your taxes.

I strongly suspect the new tax code will hurt donations to LDS Inc. Cheap Mormons who can no longer itemize will be bitter, and may well scale back their donations some to make up for the loss of their tax deduction. Of course, that is rationalization, but Mormons are pros at rationalization, especially when it comes to money.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2018 01:00AM by Brother Of Jerry.

Brother of Jerry-

Are you taking missionary 'donations' into account?

"But if they (churches) can't take stands on issues, even when tax-exempt, and they are not spending substantial funds on the issue, you opened up some nasty free speech issues."

I'm not sure I agree. Tax exemption is not constitutionally guaranteed; the court cases are clear on that. So if the churches want to avail themselves of the privilege of reduced taxation, it is reasonable to impose conditions on their special status. Different churches are likely to reach different conclusions about what they want to do, but the option of accepting the rules that apply to everyone but non-political charities is always within their reach.

More basically, however, the state could withdraw tax exemption and equalize the playing field altogether. Amusingly, the LDS church would then be treated as--yes, you got it--a corporation.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2018 04:54AM by Lot's Wife.