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                                                                    Certification by Churches and Qualified Church- 
Form 8274
                                                                                                                                                                                 File 
(Rev. September 2022)                                               Controlled Organizations Electing Exemption From 
                                                                                                                                                                         Two Copies
Department of the Treasury                                          Employer Social Security and Medicare Taxes
Internal Revenue Service 
                                          Full name of organization                                                                                            Employer identification number (EIN) 

                                          Address (number and street or P.O. box number if mail is not delivered to street address) 

                                          City, state, and ZIP code                                                                                            Date wages first paid 

                     Please type or print If exemption is based on a group ruling, give full name of central organization                                      Group exemption number 

                                          I certify that the above named organization is a church or qualified church-controlled organization which, as defined in section 3121(w) of the Internal Revenue 
                                          Code, is opposed for religious reasons to the payment of employer social security and Medicare taxes, and elects not to be subject to such taxes. 
Sign  
Here 
                                                                    (Signature of authorized official)                                          (Title)                              (Date) 

Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless                                                                • Normally receives more than 25% of its support from  
otherwise noted.                                                                                                          governmental sources and/or receipts from admissions, sales  
                                                                                                                          of merchandise, services, or facilities in related trade or 
General Instructions                                                                                                      business activities.
Purpose of form. Churches and qualified church-controlled                                                                 Eligibility for election. Any organization that meets both of the 
organizations (defined below) that are opposed, for religious                                                             above conditions is not eligible to file this form. For example, a 
reasons, to the payment of social security and Medicare taxes                                                             church-controlled hospital will generally meet both conditions 
may elect exemption from the payment of the employer’s share                                                              and will not qualify to make the election. However, seminaries, 
of these taxes by filing Form 8274.                                                                                       religious retreat centers, or burial societies will generally be 
                                                                                                                          eligible, regardless of funding sources, because they don’t offer 
Effect of election. This election applies to services performed                                                           goods, services, or facilities for sale to the general public.
by all current and future employees of the electing organization. 
However, this election does not apply to services as ministers                                                            A church-run orphanage or home for the elderly that is open 
of a church, members of a religious order, or to services                                                                 to the general public may qualify if not more than 25% of its  
performed in an unrelated trade or business of the church or                                                              support is from admissions, sales of merchandise, services or 
qualified church-controlled organization.                                                                                 facilities in related trades or businesses, or from governmental 
                                                                                                                          sources. Church pension boards, fund-raising organizations, 
The electing organization must continue to withhold federal                                                               and auxiliary organizations such as youth groups and ladies 
income tax on wages, tips, and other compensation, and to                                                                 auxiliaries may generally make the election.
report this income and the tax withheld on Form W-2, Wage  
and Tax Statement. The organization must also file Form 941,                                                              Revocation of election. Either the electing church or  
Employer’s QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return, or Form 944,                                                                     organization or the IRS may revoke this election. The electing  
Employer’s ANNUAL Federal Tax Return, to report both the                                                                  church or organization can permanently revoke the election by  
wages covered by this election and the wages of any employees                                                             paying social security and Medicare taxes for wages covered  
engaged in unrelated business activities whose wages are not                                                              by this election. The IRS will permanently revoke the election if  
covered by this election and are subject to employer taxes.                                                               the organization does not file Form W-2 for 2 years or more and 
                                                                                                                          does not provide the information within 60 days after a written 
Employees (except ministers of a church or members of                                                                     request by the IRS.
religious orders) who receive wages of $108.28 or more in a  
year from an electing church or qualified church-controlled                                                               Employer identification number (EIN). If you do not have an  
organization are subject to self-employment tax on the earnings.                                                          EIN, you may apply for one online. Go to the IRS website at  
They will be considered employees for all other purposes of the                                                           www.irs.gov/EIN. You may also apply for an EIN by faxing or 
Internal Revenue Code, including federal income tax                                                                       mailing Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification 
withholding.                                                                                                              Number, to the IRS.
Churches and qualified church-controlled organizations.                                                                   Signature. An official authorized to sign tax returns for the  
The term “church” means a church or conventions or                                                                        church or qualified church-controlled organization must sign  
associations of churches. It also includes any elementary or                                                              Form 8274. 
secondary school that is controlled, operated, or principally                                                             When to file. File Form 8274 after you hire employees, but  
supported by a church (or conventions or associations of                                                                  before the first date on which a quarterly or annual employment 
churches).                                                                                                                tax return is due (or would be due except for this election). Keep 
A “qualified church-controlled organization” includes any                                                                 a copy for your records.
church-controlled tax-exempt organization described in section                                                            Where to file. Mail two copies of Form 8274 to: Department of 
501(c)(3) unless the organization both:                                                                                   the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Ogden, Utah        
• Offers goods, services, or facilities for sale to the general                                                           84201-0027. 
public, other than on an incidental basis or for a nominal charge, 
and 

                                                                                                       Cat. No. 61933Q                                                   Form 8274 (Rev. 9-2022) 






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