The most popular Pastor’s Wallet blog posts of 2018, based on number of views.
Well, this is it. The last day of 2018. This past year saw a lot of changes for me personally, some great and many bittersweet. For the blog, it was a year of gaining momentum and readers. If you’re one of the newer readers, you may have missed some of our earlier posts.
I don’t want you to miss out on any of the great information that Pastor’s Wallet has to offer, so I looked through the numbers to find the most popular posts of 2018. I wanted to do a top 10 list, but #11 was only 16 views behind #10, so I thought it was only fair to add it in as well. Here they are:
1. How The Final Tax Bill Affects Pastors
A year ago, tax reform was the only thing anyone was talking about. So, I took the time to read through the (tedious) legislation to find out what it means for pastors specifically. While I wrote multiple posts about tax reform before the passage of the final bill that were among the top 10, I am only including the one with the information on the final version. You need to read this before you start filing your taxes in February.
2. Business Ideas For Pastors That Want To Make Extra Money
It probably comes as no surprise that the #2 spot is taken by an article about making extra money since the ministry is not known for being the most lucrative profession. In this article, we discuss different ideas for businesses that you can start that can work around your pastoral schedule and don’t take a lot of money to get going.
3. Secular Jobs For Pastors: 9 In-Demand Skills You Already Have
If you have no interest in entrepreneurship, then getting a secular job may be necessary to supplement your pastoral income. But, for pastors looking to go bi-vocational or leave the ministry, it can be hard to see how your pastoral experience applies in the secular world. This article covers 9 different skills that most pastors have that are in high demand in the marketplace and how to phrase them so that the secular world understands what you’re capable of.
4. How To Get The Most Value Out Of Your Housing Allowance
The ministerial housing allowance is one of the greatest financial benefits available to pastors. This article covers everything you need to know to get the maximum possible benefit. It’s important to make the most of the housing allowance right now, because it may not be around much longer.
5. Can You Still Receive Social Security Benefits Even After Opting Out?
You would think that opting out of Social Security means you won’t be able to collect any benefits. However, that simply isn’t true. There are multiple ways of collecting Social Security benefits, even if you have opted out for your pastoral income.
6. How Medicare Works For Pastors Who Have Opted Out Of Social Security
Here’s another article about Social Security for pastors who have opted out. Though many don’t realize it, part of your payroll taxes is actually Medicare taxes. When you opt out of Social Security, you stop paying those taxes as well. While pastors who have opted out are still eligible for Medicare, it will likely cost them more. There is a lot of confusion surrounding this, even among government employees, so it is important to know how the law works and what you are entitled to.
7. Act Now For Your 2018 Clergy Housing Allowance
Once again, the housing allowance is at the top of many pastors’ minds. This article covers important information you need to know about designating your housing allowance for the coming year. You can also read this year’s article, It’s Time To Submit Your 2019 Housing Allowance!
8. Why Do Church Employees Pay Self-Employment Taxes?
This is something I always wondered while on the church’s payroll and it seems that I’m not the only one. When it comes to pastors and churches, IRS rules get complicated. You should make sure that all of the employees at your church understand the information found in this article, or it could end up costing them.
9. How To Take A Ministerial Housing Allowance In Retirement
This is the third housing allowance post to make it into the top 10, but this time it’s for retired pastors. For this article, I spoke with a Certified Financial Planner who explained how pastors can take a housing allowance even in retirement, and the common mistake that prevents them from being able to.
10. Why Don’t Churches Pay Payroll Taxes For Ministers?
Like I mentioned above, pastors and churches seem to have a completely different set of IRS rules than everyone else. One is that churches are not allowed to pay payroll taxes for ministers even though they are employed by the church. Many churches get this one wrong, so it’s important to understand how it all works.
11. Yes, There Is A More Affordable Alternative To Health Insurance
I didn’t have the heart to cut this one off my top ten list because it was only 16 views behind the last article. Only 16 views. What can I say, I’m a softy.
Healthcare is a huge expense these days and many independent pastors do not have employer-provided health insurance. With limited options and high prices on the state healthcare exchanges, it isn’t any wonder that people are looking for other options. Well, they are in luck, because there is another option: medical sharing ministries.
There you have it. The most popular articles this year. Do you have a favorite that didn’t make it onto the list? Or a suggestion for something you would like to read about next year? Let us know in the comments!
