A Wisconsin district judge ruled the minister housing allowance unconstitutional.  This ruling affects only western Wisconsin and the order has been stayed (delayed) until all appeals have gone through the courts.  So ministers should proceed with housing allowance procedures for 2014 as in the past (this could move very slowly through the appeals process).

Here is a statement from GuideStone:
“A federal district court’s decision declaring the minister’s housing allowance unconstitutional does not have any current impact on a minister’s ability to claim housing allowance. The decision has been stayed (put on hold) until any appeals are concluded. The ruling was in response to a challenge brought by a group known as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and at this point, would have only applied to ministers in certain areas under the court’s jurisdiction in western Wisconsin.”

For more information, see www.guidestone.org.

Lee Wright
State Missionary and Coordinator of the Office of Church Compensation