HER ANNOUNCEMENT SHOCKED THE CLASS

4/19/2019

Over the many years of teaching Church and Clergy Tax Seminars across the USA, I have had countless IRS agents in attendance. They do not come to the classes to find law-breakers. They usually come for one of two reasons: They are board members, trustees, or bookkeepers for their Church or they are on the verge of auditing a Church. In both scenarios they are there to learn Church Tax Law.

Some Interesting Stories

Usually the agents will not identify themselves (if they do) until the class is over. Since they are not there to “catch” someone, they do not want to intimidate an attendee to the level where the attendee would feel uncomfortable asking any questions.

In a recent St. Louis conference, there was an agent in the class and next door to us there was a Federal Marshal and IRS agent symposium. During morning registration an investigative IRS officer stopped by my table to asked what I did. Just prior to his question, a preacher told me he was attending the class because his board insisted, but he didn’t believe the IRS would come after Churches. The Federal Officer told us that he was a previous Pastor who had previously had severe issues with the IRS and resigned the ministry because no one in his small town was capable of properly maintaining Church books. This agent then told that Pastor, “You better listen to every thing this man (speaking of me) tells you because we are coming.”

In that same class, at the end of the day, an attendee told me he worked for the IRS and had just been voted to the Trustee Board of his Church. His words to me were, “I have heard throughout the agency that they are coming after Churches and I could not afford for my Church to be out of compliance, especially since I am an IRS agent.”

Two months later, in another city, a couple sat at the front center table. They seemed to hang on every word I taught. I noticed at morning break, at noon, and at afternoon break, they were on the phone, sometimes argumentative, sometimes pleading, and often frustrated with the conversations.

During question and answer period I noticed they would give their name, but no Church or Pastor info. At the end of the class both told me, “We are Federal Marshals and we have a dilemma. We have tried to convince our Pastor to take advantage of this program because we have discovered that the Church books are out of compliance and in total disarray. Our Pastor has refused. As Federal Law-Enforcement Officers we took an oath to uphold the law. We now have to turn in our Pastor and Church to the IRS.”

Church Bookkeeper told to Resign

At the morning break in the New Jersey seminar, a lady approached and told me that she was attending at the urging of her son-in-law who was an IRS agent. She had been doing the Church books for two weeks and her son-in-law continued to insist that she resign for her own protection. She argued with him that the books were okay.

He paid her registration fee to get her to attend. During the morning break she told me she now understood why he was insisting she resign (which she did at that break).

I asked her to share this information with the class. After the break she came forward and told the class what she had told me, but then shocked us with this tidbit: “My son-in-law is an IRS agent and has been insisting I resign my duties as Church bookkeeper—and I did that just before the break ended. The reason I did is because I have discovered our Church has serious IRS compliance issues and my son-in-law has informed me that the IRS is releasing thousands of agents to audit Churches and to attend Church services as “spotters” (undercover agents) to catch Churches in non-compliance.”

What Agents know About the Church Management Conference that Pastors Should Heed

Pastors and Board Members often feel as if they are immune to any IRS oversight. Many will leave a seminar thinking they do not have to comply with any of the codes that have been taught that day and many feel as if God is required to protect their illegal bookkeeping methods.

However, IRS agents that attend the classes know the severity of not complying with these regulations. As one agent told me, “When we walk in, it will be too late for the Church to take any action. By the time we walk in, we have them.”

You Must Attend the Next Conference NOW!!!

There may not be a conference in your area, but you do not have the luxury of waiting for one. They are coming and they are coming now to Churches all across the nation. It is naïve for a Pastor and Board Member to think they can continue to do Church books like they always have. It is naïve for a Pastor and Board Member to think they do not need to attend. Any excuse used to not attend the next conference is not wisdom.

Chitwood & Chitwood has been keeping Church books compliant for thousands of Churches for 81 years. We are the best and the most trusted firm in the nation. With us maintaining your books and records a Church will have no IRS fears or concerns.

This is why you must register NOW for the next conference. Fly in, drive, or do what you must, but this is one conference you CANNOT AFFORD to miss. To register please call 800-344-0076 or visit us online at www.cmtc.org. Once your window of opportunity closes, it may be too late for your Church (cf Numbers 14).

By Dr. Micheal Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Our Church Management Conferences will arm you with the information you must have to shield your Church or Ministry from IRS intrusiveness; teach you how to get your Taxes to the lowest possible rate; and daily operate your Church or Ministry within IRS acceptable guidelines.

Our Conferences have been taught across the Nation for over 48 years. Because of the Penalties, Fines, and even Imprisonment that the IRS imposed on many Churches and Pastors, Dr. Chitwood felt led by the Holy Spirit to become a buffer between Churches, Ministers, and the IRS.