Am reading about preacher Osteens wife and their lavish lifestyle. Do these people pay taxes?

Question

Am curious not trying to point the finger but how much taxes do people like this pay and what do they do for financing? I am not talking just these people but all evangelicals or religious leaders. Is their stuff tax free or do they actually pay taxes? Not a cute or funny question. Just curious as h**l as to what these arrangements they make with their accountants or with the IRS? I know they ususally fly first class and stay in 5 star hotels etc. Again, not picking on any one individual just wonder what the rules are for these cats. Thanks.

Answer 1

The money they get is taxable, and as high profile as they are, I'd guess that they do pay taxes or the IRS would bust them in a minute.

But how much extra do they siphon off from their "religious organizations" to get the money, who knows.

Answer 2

If they are smart, they pay their taxes.

Osteen does have thousands of suckers every week that give him money.  He just uses most of that money on himself as other televangelists have done in the past.

Answer 3

Religious hucksters 'own' their church and all income is reported as income of an exempt organization--tax free.

The preacher draws some salary but his mansion is the parsonage, his private jet belongs to the church and he gets an expense account to cover anything he needs to buy and to cover flying first class and staying in the best hotels.  His wife is also on church business when she travels.

Answer 4

They are in religion. They don't pay taxes.

They're in it for the money and the power they get when they 'preach' to people. They rake in millions every year from all these people who think if they don't donate to them they'll go to h**l.

They are worse than any non believers out there. At least non believers work hard and pay taxes.

Answer 5

Americans have a very peculiar fascination with all those mega churches, TV churches, you name it. Why is it that these guys always ask for money? Some of  them do not even bother to preach - they just ask for more and more hard cash (one bearded guy is in this respect my favorite). And it is all for the God, allegedly. If people look for spirituality they should look for it in themselves. There is no spirituality on the TV,