The Clergy Tax Playbook

Trifecta is a recent addition to the English language. It first appeared in the early 1970s as a term for a horse-racing bet in which the first, second, and third-place finishers are chosen in the correct

order. The word has since broadened in meaning. It can now also refer to a group of three (usually desirable) things.

The clergy trifecta is a rule of thought to help clergy organize their compensation tax strategy. It involves maximizing their tax-saving options as common-law employee status, entrepreneurial status, and nonprofit ownership status. We believe this business model has been the missing piece in the clergy tax playbook.