wfn.org | Ministers Housing Allowance

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Date: May 24, 2002
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Melinda Mains
(317)713-2496
E-mail: mmains@cm.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

Pension Fund contact: Marianne Scott
317-634-4504
mscott@pension.disciples.org	

	INDIANAPOLIS, May 24, 2002 -- Pension Fund of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is pleased to
announce that the ministers housing allowance legislation
passed both the House and the Senate and has been signed
into law by President Bush. Both the IRS and the Rev.
Richard Warren have requested that the pending litigation
in the 9th Circuit Count of Appeals be dropped since there
is no longer a dispute between the parties.

	Those of you who contacted your senators and
representatives helped greatly in this achievement. The
legislation puts into the Internal Revenue Code the
limitation of the housing allowance to the fair rental
value of the house (fully furnished) plus the cost of
utilities.  Previously this was a Revenue Ruling that
Warren had successfully challenged in the Tax Court. The
IRS had appealed this decision to the 9th Circuit which
began questioning the consitutionality of the housing
allowance. This question could still emerge in future court
cases.

	 The Pension Fund is grateful for the widespread support
for this important tax provision for the clergy.	

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