
Moreover, many churches employ a mix of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff, each with different payroll and benefit needs. Volunteers may receive stipends or reimbursements that don’t qualify as taxable income, while paid staff might be eligible for benefits like health insurance or retirement plans tailored to nonprofit employees. Dedicated church payroll software can differentiate these categories clearly, ensuring accurate payroll and benefits administration. Payroll service and software should be easy to access and simple to set up and have a user-friendly interface. A dedicated representative, as well as employer ID and tax set-up assistance, are top criteria.
Audit Support
Additionally, churches must adhere to workers’ compensation requirements that may differ from those of for-profit businesses. Ministries often face different state regulations regarding coverage and claims, necessitating payroll systems that can accommodate these variations efficiently. At ChurchShield, we strive to be a valuable asset for your church and want to help alleviate income statement the stress that comes with ongoing payroll processing and compliance. That way, you can continue to do what you do best, which is address the needs of your congregation. Church payroll isn’t just a back-office function—it’s a reflection of how well your church understands its legal responsibilities and how seriously it takes care of its people.
Services

An alternative to accrual accounting is cash accounting, which entails recording income and expenses when they are received or paid. However, some lenders require accrual accounting for their clients, including church clients, per generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). PowerChurch offers both software packages for Windows PC installation and online software that can be used on any computer. For example, nursery or church event check-in stations are $14.95 per month. You must also pay $25 per month for every two users added above the included two-user limit.

Time Savings
Churches that need to track expenses around projects for which parishioners or donors have earmarked their donations should consider Xero for their accounting software. Churches looking for an all-in-one church-tailored platform for keeping church records, managing church events and membership, and performing all essential church accounting functions should consider PowerChurch. Using Aplos’ CRM tools, you can create a member and donor database with profiles. Absolutely—whether they’re part-time staff or full-time ministry workers, it’s important to run and document payroll properly. Most churches don’t have HR or finance departments—payroll often ends up on the admin or volunteer team. Things are always changing in the world of church payroll and we make it a priority to stay up to date.
- Payroll software for churches often integrates with nonprofit accounting tools, enabling seamless reporting and budget tracking.
- We provide accounting best practices and built-in accountability specifically for churches so you can stay on the straight and narrow while fulfilling God’s call.
- Overall, Gusto offers a balance of affordability, comprehensive payroll processing, and strong tax compliance features, making it a solid choice for churches prioritizing accuracy and ease of use.
- The HR Support Center will provide you with the most up-to-date information and tools necessary to lower the amount of effort that is needed on your part to understand how to manage the day to day HR functions of your church.
- The minister is considered personally responsible for paying their own taxes.
- Sometimes, churches are on the lookout for HR advising and online resources or how-to guides.

OnPay distinguishes itself through a robust permission system that allows church administrators to delegate payroll and human resources responsibilities efficiently. This multi-user capability is ideal for churches where different staff members handle payroll, HR, and benefits administration. The platform offers full-service payroll processing with unlimited pay runs How to Run Payroll for Restaurants and health insurance benefits available across all states.
Quicken is best for churches needing full-featured premium accounting software on a tight budget. It is also best for churches that use separate HR and payroll software or that have few employees for whom they must process payroll. Business compliance is an important part of running any church ministry. QuickBooks makes staying compliant simple with HR support, powered by Mineral, Inc. Learn best practices on hiring and termination, and stay on top of state and federal wage and overtime laws and requirements.

Paystubs are available to employees via an online portal, that allows employees access to their payroll information, from anywhere, anytime. In this same portal, employees can make changes to their personal information, direct deposit best payroll service for churches information, etc. Realm’s payroll software for ministries, along with Symmetry Software, calculates payroll withholding taxes for federal, FICA, state, and local taxes. Only taxable jobs and adjustments will be used to calculate taxes.
The QuickBooks Payroll service offers some unique church-specific features. There are unlimited payroll runs, direct deposits to an employee’s bank account within a day, and more. We gave priority to those that offer automatic payroll runs, direct deposit with an option to process paper checks, and access to tax payment and filing, including year-end forms filing (W-2s and 1099s). Yes, most churches and religious organizations are exempt from the Federal Unemployment Tax Act FUTA. A dedicated church payroll service will automatically recognize this exemption and ensure that FUTA taxes are not calculated or deposited for non-clergy employees.

FreshBooks’ Double-Entry Accounting gives you everything you need to stayorganized for tax time, stay compliant with regulations, and make decisions basedon up-to-date insights. With a customizable Chart of Accounts, you can keep track of everynumber as your business grows. Simple or complex, your finances tell you how your business is doing. FreshBooks’ Double-Entry Accounting tools and reports show profitability, cash flow health, and details your spending. Add employees, change pay rates and enter hours in this online portal.
