The following resources are available to Treasurers as they serve their Congregations:

Contact Information for the financial staff of the Ohio District - LCMS, Church Extension Fund, Concordia Plan Services, and Federal and State Tax forms.

Do you receive threatening advertisements stating you must purchase workplace posters in order to be in compliance with employment law? Click here to download a Workplace Poster Summary free of charge and see how to print these required posters free of charge.

The method in which Business Expenses are reimbursed determines whether or not they represent taxable income to the worker. This brief summary explains the advantage of establishing an Accountable Reimbursement Plan.

Personnel Manual
The personnel manual has been developed to assist the local church in producing a comprehensive and customized personnel policies and procedures handbook that will be clear, readable, and understandable by pastors, staff, and lay leaders. Good staff relations rely on the effective communication and consistent application of church policy. Carefully written personnel policies and procedures will contribute to enhancing staff morale and loyalty by clearly communicating what the church expects of its employees and what, in turn employees can expect from the church.

Treasurer's Manual
The intent of the Treasurer's Manual is to assist the congregational or school treasurer and any other person responsible for financial or administrative matters. The manual presents tax, payroll, insurance, finance, and administrative matters that every church addresses at one time or another. It is written so every treasurer, no matter what the level of expertise, will be able to gain something from it.

Have you ever wondered what forms are needed when a new person is hired by your congregation? This New Hire Checklist will assist you in identifying appropriate forms and determining who completes which forms and who keeps them.

 Contact Information for the financial staff of the Ohio District - LCMS, Church Extension Fund, Concordia Plan Services, and Federal and State Tax forms.

 Taxes and Ministers Brochure
This brochure is designed to assist ordained or commissioned ministers of LCMS with tax related matters and includes the following:

• The IRS's definition of minister
• Housing/Parsonage allowance
• Reporting income and expenses
• Paying federal and state taxes
• Social Security taxes
• Tax-favored savings plans

The method in which Business Expenses are reimbursed determines whether or not they represent taxable income to the worker. This brief summary explains the advantage of establishing an Accountable Reimbursement Plan.

Looking for someone to prepare your tax return? These names of Clergy Tax Preparers were given to the District by various professional church workers in Ohio. The Ohio District - LCMS has not used the services of these tax preparers so cannot endorse them. It is recommended that you obtain references prior to having them prepare your taxes.

For assistance with PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING, complete the following worksheets.

1. Personal Data Form - This form provides indispensable information for you, your financial planner, and your heirs. This form should be reviewed once per year or whenever there are significant changes. 
2. Net Worth Statement - Net Worth is, simply, the difference between what you own and what you owe. It is also known as a Balance Sheet. The Net Worth can be determined by subtracting the liabilities (what you owe) from the assets (what you own).
   
   The column marked "Market Value" means that you note how much it is worth, based on reports or professional appraisals. For items such as checking/savings accounts, annuities, etc., there is an exact number. It can be found on the latest report from the bank or company. For items such as residence and personal property, you will have to make an educated guess or have a professional appraisal done.
   
   The column marked "Who owns/owes it" should be filled in either with your initials, your spouse's initials, or both if you own/owe it jointly.
   
   You will most likely not have entries for every item listed under the assets (if you do, we want to talk to you!). The list is meant to be comprehensive so nothing is missed. Be careful with the Market Value of collectibles - remember that what is a collectible of value to you may not have value to someone else.
   
   Under the liabilities, use the totals from the Loan/Credit Card Schedules. Keep in mind that outstanding bills/taxes are those that you haven't paid for previous months/years - past due amounts.
   
   When calculating your Net Worth, consider excluding retirement and sentimental assets to give you a more realistic picture of what your situation would be like.  This form should be completed once per year or more often if there are significant changes.
3. Income Statement - This worksheet provides information about where your money comes from and where it goes. The expense portion lumps many categories together on purpose - to help you determine categories of spending. Pay particular attention to the Casual spending amount. The Casual category has that name because most people think about cash and ATM withdrawals casually. If there is one area where almost everyone can make an immediate improvement in their financial situation it is in controlling where the cash is spent. This may mean writing down every cash purchase in a small notebook, or simply not carrying cash. Explore what works for you so that you know where the money is being spent. This worksheet should probably be completed once per year, or more often if there are significant changes. 
4. Budget - The budget is one of the most misunderstood documents. It is usually thought of as restrictive, but it should be seen simply as a tool. It's how money is handled, and how decisions are made, on a monthly basis. A budget helps ensure that your spending is in line with your pre-determined priorities. It is also flexible and should adapt to your changing situation.
   
   At the beginning of the month, indicate in the "Amount Agreed to Spend" column the budgeted amounts. At the end of the month look at the budget again and enter, into the column marked "Amount Actually Spent," the total of your expenditures for that month. In the column marked "Difference" simply subtract the amount you spent from the amount you budgeted. The ultimate goal is that the Total Difference is equal to "0." This means that if you overspend in one area, you compensate by underspending in one or more other areas.
   
   As you are completing the budget, remember to include bills/expenses that are due other than monthly (a quarterly payment or Christmas, for example). Set aside an appropriate amount each month, in essence, to save for when those bills are due.
   
   If you have never completed a budget before, or if it has been a long time, consider using the Cash Expense Summary to arrive at a more accurate budget. 
5. Retirement Planning Worksheet - The Retirement Cash Flow Projection worksheet is a method to consider what your income and expenses will be before and after retirement. Even if you are young and retirement is a long way off, you should complete this worksheet periodically (perhaps every 5 years). As retirement nears (probably at least 10 years before the date) the frequency should increase so that within 5 years of retirement it will be completed on an annual basis (even more often in the last year before retirement). Any time you complete it, use current dollar amounts (don’t try to project inflation, etc.). As you complete it over time the figures will naturally adjust with your lifestyle.
   
   Use the information from your Income Statement for the column of income and expenses marked “Before Retirement.” In the “After Retirement” column make your best guess for each item listed under income and expenses. In the column marked “Change” subtract the “after” from the “before” column. If the number is positive, then you think you will earn/spend less than you are now for that category. If the number is zero, you plan to earn/spend the same as you do now in that category. If the number is negative, you plan to earn/spend more after you retire than you are now.
   
   At the bottom of the worksheet there is room for you to compare the totals and to determine whether the income you plan to have after you retire is sufficient. If not, you have several options. One is to reduce your expenditures. Another is to increase your income through employment. Another is to accumulate enough before you retire so that you will have more disposable income to meet your needs. Or you could achieve the desired result through a combination of the three.

 Contact Information for the financial staff of the Ohio District - LCMS, Church Extension Fund, Concordia Plan Services, and Federal and State Tax forms.

It is important to have written position descriptions for both paid staff and volunteers. Click here to review samples, along with other Human Resource resources such as perfomance appraisals and call documents.

Personnel Manual
The personnel manual has been developed to assist the local church in producing a comprehensive and customized personnel policies and procedures handbook that will be clear, readable, and understandable by pastors, staff, and lay leaders. Good staff relations rely on the effective communication and consistent application of church policy. Carefully written personnel policies and procedures will contribute to enhancing staff morale and loyalty by clearly communicating what the church expects of its employees and what, in turn employees can expect from the church.

Treasurer's Manual
The intent of the Treasurer's Manual is to assist the congregational or school treasurer and any other person responsible for financial or administrative matters. The manual presents tax, payroll, insurance, finance, and administrative matters that every church addresses at one time or another. It is written so every treasurer, no matter what the level of expertise, will be able to gain something from it.

Taxes and Ministers Brochure
This brochure is designed to assist ordained or commissioned ministers of LCMS with tax related matters and includes the following:

• The IRS's definition of minister
• Housing/Parsonage allowance
• Reporting income and expenses
• Paying federal and state taxes
• Social Security taxes
• Tax-favored savings plans

The Ohio District Compensation Guidelines will assist you in establishing salaries and benefits for your professional church workers.