AboutJohn Stancil, CPA Expertise I can answer questions on personal income taxes, partnerships, and some corporate income taxes. I can deal with some state tax questions. Limited gift and estate tax questions. I am also familiar with ministerial and church tax reporting issues. I teach tax and accounting at a small church-related college. Sales taxes and property taxes are state and local issues so I am not likely be be able to give you an in depth answer on those types of taxes. I have maintained a part time tax practice for over 30 years. I am a member of the AICPA, National Association of Tax Professionals, and the Institute of Management Accountants.
Visit my website at www.johnstancilcpa.com.
Also visit my blog, www.thetaxdocspot.com.
Experience I hold a doctorate in Accounting, and four professional certifications: CPA, CMA, CFM, and CIA. I passed all certification examinations on the first attempt, and received honorable mention for my scores on the CIA exam. I write a monthly tax column for the local newspaper. I have prepared taxes for over 30 years.
Education/Credentials DBA University of Memphis
MBA University of Georgia
BS in Accounting Mars Hill College
Question In 2003 I was promoted to a Pastor position. My CPA told me that in light of
my promotion, I should exempt myself from social security. He gave me a
form to complete. He apparently never turned it into the IRS. He treated my
taxes over the next 4 years as though I was exempt from Social Security. I
have since relocated to another state and upon receiving a statement from
the SSA, I realized that I had not been exempted. I now discovered that our
CPA is in the final stages of dementia and was struggling with this during the
entire time he was preparing our taxes. He has royally screwed up our tax
situation and now the IRS won't honor my exemption. What can I do?
Answer Allen,
Probably nothing. The position of the IRS is that you are responsible for your taxes, even if your preparer made an error.
However, you may not have been eligible in 2003 anyway. The exemption is for anyone in a ministerial position. If you were serving is another capacity, such as youth director, the clock had already started running. You must file for the exemption no later than April 15 in the second year in which you have ministerial earnings of $400 or more.
