The Internal Revenue Service’s investigations into alleged tax violations by two Minnesota-based churches, Living Word Christian Center (LWCC) and Warroad Community Church, have been thwarted by internal procedural problems.
These cases highlight the special tax-exempt status churches receive by law, but they also underscore problems at the IRS. In effect, the IRS has been unsuccessful in investigating allegations of tax violations by churches because years of conflicting congressional action have made it impossible for the IRS to follow its own rules.
And while the IRS has undertaken the potentially months-long process to reform its broken system, the religious right is seeking to exploit it by encouraging churches to flout the law and endorse candidates from the pulpit next month.
More: IRS Loopholes Gets Minnesota Churches Off Tax-Violation Hook
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I have been looking without success for estimates of the annual cost to the U.S. treasury of tax breaks for religious and other organizations that qualify for breaks or exempt status. Religious organizations are of the most interest. Any ideas of where to look or who is keeping the numbers? Thanks.