Has anyone attempted to file as a 501 3c church or charity?

What about clergy IRS tax breaks has anyone applied for those with their Universal Life Church?

A church is automatically defined as a 501©(3) non-profit organization. To be 'officially' recognized, you have to fill out the paperwork (28 pages long).

Form: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1023.pdf

From the IRS website (http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable ... 75,00.html)
Churches and organizations (other than private foundations) with annual gross receipts normally less than $5,000 are not required to file Form 1023 and obtain recognition of tax exemption for contributors' contributions to them to be tax deductible. Although there is no requirement to do so, many churches and small organizations seek IRS recognition because recognition assures contributors that contributions are deductible. For more information, see Publication 1828, Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations, and Public Charity - Exemption Application.

*NOTE: I am NOT a lawyer and do not provide legal advise*

v/r
Rev Jeremy Abbott
http://www.jeremyabbott.com/ministry

Greetings to you my sister,

Alas, individual members of the clergy do not get tax breaks. In fact clergy are typically treated as self-employed for tax purposes, which means they have to pay the full amount of social security tax instead of just the employee amount.

In Christ's service,
Padre

As far as the exempt statuis goes, the 501 is the lowest. The next highest is the 508, which has less restrictions. The highest is taking the exempt status of the common law and not bowing to the world system. Jack