Who You Call for Advice May be Your Demise
I was teaching a Church Management and Tax Conference in West Virginia. One of the Pastors in attendance came to me during the lunch break to inform me of the mess he and his Church was in because of bad advice they had received.
As I listened to this Pastor, my heart ached for him because he had called the IRS for the advice, but when he was audited, the advice given him was erroneous. What further irritated him was that the IRS would not accept responsibility for their advice. He, then informed me that he was thinking of getting an attorney to sue them, only to be heart-broken when I informed him that case law protected the IRS from civil suit in these matters.
Intentionally or not, the IRS Can Legally Lie
The case law was set in the case of David Michael Maser v. Commissioner. Maser had contacted the IRS to make sure he was doing everything “by the book.” Later, when an audit revealed several IRS violations, he sued. In the above case, the Court Judge determined that the IRS could not be held liable for any erroneous information the IRS or its agents provided. The Judge basically stated that what the IRS or its agents tell anyone is irrelevant and the only thing that matters is what is written in the law.
According to this case law, the IRS is allowed to lie (intentionally or unintentionally), to those seeking tax advice. If you follow their advice, and it is wrong, you will be held accountable and possibly assessed, penalties, interest, or even prison. If you lie to a federal agency, you can be prosecuted. If they lie to you—tough.
Many IRS agents do not know the answers to simple tax questions, and definitely are not properly versed in matters pertaining to non-profit tax law. Over the years we have had several of them to attend our classes to learn what is written in the code. Experience has taught me that when an agent attends one of our classes, he or she is beginning an audit of a Church or other non-profit.
This is why no one should ever attempt to navigate the troubled waters of the IRS without the assistance of competent representation. This is where Chitwood & Chitwood is the best!
How We can Help
No one knows Church and Clergy Tax Law better than Chitwood & Chitwood. For more than 78 years, our expert staff has helped thousands of Churches and Pastors avoid onslaughts from the IRS.
The multiplied thousands of Churches, Ministries, and Clergy we represent, know that Chitwood & Chitwood ensures the best quality service offered in the USA. When we handled their affairs, the Pastor and Church Leaders can rest easy every day, knowing that we keep them legal.
As our Fall Tour begins, I encouraged every Pastor, all Church Leaders, and every Church to attend a Church Management and Tax Conference in a city nearest them. You will learn what others will not or cannot tell you—you will learn how to get your Church and Ministry compliant so as to avoid any trouble with the IRS.
No one can afford to miss a conference this year. Pastors, do not only send your Board. Board, do not only send your Pastor. The complete Board, Pastor, and all those involved in any Church decision making process should attend.
To register, visit us at www.cmtc.org or call 800-344-0076. You will be glad you did.
Remember, for us it is “A Ministry—Not A Job!”
