2017 Tax Calendar for Churches and Ministries

By Raul Rivera

Every year in January, our office receives tons of phone calls from pastors and church leaders, just like you, asking about various tax forms and what needs to be filed in January. 

To that effect, we have put together a tax calendar to educate and guide you throughout 2017. This calendar is specific for churches and ministries. We hope that this helps you in your endeavors to accomplish something great in 2017.

Below you will find information pertaining to some important 1st quarter tax deadlines and dates of 2017. If you prefer to just receive the 2017 Tax Calendar then just go ahead and scroll to the end of this post.

Lastly, before you download your 2017 Tax Calendar, I want to invite you to join us at one of our Ultimate Church Structure Conferences. Click the link below to find a conference near you. We look forward to seeing you there!

Important 1st quarter tax deadlines and dates of 2017

Before January 1st:

• Have the annual board meeting of the directors. If you do not know what agenda items need to be covered in the annual meeting, we have a service whereby we create your annual minutes for you so that all you have to do is get together with your board of directors, go over each item, and sign off. If you have not yet held your annual board meeting, then make sure you get that scheduled as soon as possible.
• In the annual board meeting of the directors, designate the minister's housing allowance.
• Each board member must sign the annual conflicts of interest statement. If you have been to one of our conferences, a sample conflict of interest statement can be found in the conference manual.

(Recommended reading: “Do You Know How to Take Board Meeting Minutes?”)

January 17th:

• As recommended by our StartRIGHT® Program, ministers that have had a housing allowance properly designated by the church must add up their qualifying housing allowance expenses by calculating the actual value of the home and the fair rental value.
• Ministers must make the estimated tax payment for the 4th quarter of 2016 using Form 1040-ES. However, you do not have to make this payment if you file your 2016 tax return (Form 1040) and pay any tax due by February 1, 2017.
• If you have non-ministerial employees and deposit payroll taxes monthly, the December 2016 payroll tax deposit is due. This tax deposit occurs on the 15th of every month unless the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday.

(Recommended reading: “How to Start a Church the Right Way”)

January 31st:

• Furnish tax-deductible contribution statements to all of those who made contributions to your ministry.
• Furnish W-2 forms to all of your employees, including the pastor. Be sure to carefully document any qualifying health insurance premiums your church paid for its staff. The new law requires that they be reported on line 12 of Form W-2. For those of you who have the W-2 and 1099 Tax Kit, all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions to electronically file Form W-2.
• Send Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, to the Social Security Administration along with copy A of all employee W-2’s you issued for calendar year 2016. For those of you who have the W-2 and 1099 Tax Kit, all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions to electronically file Form W-3 with your W-2 forms. If you file these electronically, the due date is later in March. Keep reading for more information!
• Furnish 1099-MISC forms to independent contractors, including guest speakers and unincorporated landlords, who received $600.00 or more in payments or honorariums in 2016. If you paid anyone royalties of $10.00 or more, give that individual a Form 1099-MISC. If you used the services of an attorney and paid $1.00 (one dollar) or more for his/her services, you must issue a 1099-MISC. For those of you who have the W-2 and 1099 Tax Kit, all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions to electronically file 1099-MISC and Form 1096 tax forms.
• Consider applying for self-employment tax exemption before your window of time expires on April 18th. This can be big. For more information, call our office at 770-638-3444, and we will help you. 
• File Form 941 (payroll tax) for the 4th quarter of 2016 and deposit any unpaid taxes, or file Form 944 for the 2016 tax year if your employment tax liability was $1,000 or less and the IRS wrote you to allow you to use Form 944.
• File Form 945 to report income tax withheld (backup withholdings) for 2016 on independent contractors, including citizen and non-citizen guest speakers.

(Recommended reading: “4 Reasons Why Ministers Should Opt-Out of Social Security”)

February 1st:

• If you do not pay your 4th quarter estimated tax payment using Form 1040-ES by January 17th, you may choose to file your 2016 income tax return by February 1st to avoid a late penalty for not making the January 17th 4th quarter payment.

February 15th:

• If you have non-ministerial employees and deposit payroll taxes monthly, the January 2017 payroll tax deposit is due.

February 28th:

• Send copy A of Form 1099-MISC with Form 1096 to the IRS. For those of you who have the W-2 and 1099-Misc Kit, all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions to electronically file Form 1096. If you file these electronically, the due date is later in March. Keep reading for more information!

(Recommended reading: “How to Pay a Contractor, and Form 1099-Misc.”)

March 15th:

• If you have non-ministerial employees and deposit payroll taxes monthly, the February 2017 payroll tax deposit is due.

March 31st:

• If you chose to file copy A of Form 1099-MISC with Form 1096 electronically, this is the final day to file. If you file after this date, they will be considered late.
• If you chose to file Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, with copy A of all employee W-2’s electronically, this is the final day to file. If you file after this date, they will be considered late.

(Recommended reading: “Surviving Summer, Part 3: Paying Guest Speakers”)

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