We’ve arrived at the final days of 2025. At the end of each year, I like to do a recap of the year’s most popular blogs. This is only for 2025. For all time views, the winner would be #8 below, third place would be #1 below, and second place would go to Secular Jobs For Pastors: 9 In-Demand Skills You Already Have. That’s just blog posts, though. This year’s top-viewed page, which is also the all-time top-viewed page, is our Pastor’s Wallet free online housing allowance calculator. Now, here are 2025’s most popular blog posts:
1. What Expenses Qualify For The Minister’s Housing Allowance?
This year’s top post is actually almost 6 years old. It’s an excerpt from my book about the housing allowance that I published right when I published the book back in 2020. I guess I was right in assuming this would be one of the most popular topics! It includes the list of what is eligible and isn’t eligible for the housing allowance, and an explanation of how to find out about things that aren’t on the list.
2. Your Top 10 Clergy Housing Allowance Questions Answered
Another oldie-but-goodie, this post is almost 3 years old. However, the tax law hasn’t changed, so it’s just as relevant and accurate today as it was when I wrote it. It’s a great overview of the clergy housing allowance with a lot of links to other articles for more in-depth study.
3. How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affects Pastors
I’ll be honest, this is the only brand-new blog post I wrote for Pastor’s Wallet this year. Due to my health (long covid is not fun!), I haven’t been writing, just updating old posts and inviting guests to write. But when a big tax bill passes, helping you understand it jumps to the top of my priority list. I mean, if I am a professional and find researching tax bills boring, I would hate to make you do it!
4. How Do You Report Your Clergy Housing Allowance To The IRS?
This is another excerpt from my book about the housing allowance. It covers a topic that most churches and pastors find intimidating. No one wants to make a mistake and get the IRS after them, and this article will help avoid that.
5. The Great Tax Benefits of 403(b) Plans for Pastors
Church-sponsored 403(b) plans are a wonderful tool for pastors to save on taxes while saving for the future—especially those who have not opted out of Social Security. I wish every church would offer one, so I asked financial planner Nate Skelly to share with you all of the great benefits available through a 403(b) plan.
6. Who Is Eligible For The Clergy Housing Allowance?
This article goes in depth with IRS definitions and quotes from the Treasury Department. It’s an important thing to understand, though I have to admit that there are still some gray areas where the answer is not clear.
7. Claiming A Minister’s Housing Allowance In Retirement
Here is another excerpt from my book about the housing allowance and something I help my financial planning clients do on a regular basis. I wish everyone would read this because, unfortunately, I still hear from pastors who have made irrevocable mistakes that disqualify them from claiming a housing allowance in retirement.
8. How Much Housing Allowance Can A Pastor Claim?
This is another popular question and our most popular blog post of all time. It’s an important one to read because there is a lot of incorrect information out there about it, even from professionals like CPAs.
9. Should You Keep A Mortgage Just For The Housing Allowance & Mortgage Interest Deduction?
This is a post that I updated this year that answers an incredibly common question. Since there isn’t an easy, one-size-fits-all answer, I provide some examples with calculations and a list of factors to consider.
10. How Pastors Can Find Free Getaway Lodging for Sabbaticals or Vacations
This is a guest post from a pastor just like you who was doing his own personal research to see if he could get away without breaking the bank. He put so much time and effort into it that he wanted the rest of you to benefit from it as well and offered to share it with my Pastor’s Wallet readers. Thank you, Jon Neal!
Thank you for your ministry and support in 2025. I pray that 2026 is a year full of blessings for you and your family!