MK forum

NTM can see it however they wish, but it doesnt make it so.

As a woman who WORKED in NTM for 27 years, I can tell you this: NTM advised us to file all our taxes -- and pay all our social security tax -- under my husband's name. The only SS that shows up under my own name is what I have paid during the times of my life that I have worked a secular job, outside of NTM.
In the case of Nate's beloved late mother, when she divorced her husband, she got separated from his SS earnings, and because of that, was told she did not qualify for social security, even though she was very ill, and in desperate need of medical intervention.
Rest in peace, my precious friend.

I was with NTM for years and show no SS for me. I was widowed in '92 but I lost all those years because it was all put to Dave.

So, the wife of a missionary is taken care of for as long as her husband is present & able to represent the needs of his family?

Once he is no longer a factor, NTM is off the hook?

Because she was a layabout slacker on the field & ate chocolates on pillows of satin?

She's not just an appendage of the man - rendered useless when he is absent.

She was his partner, co-worker, sister in Christ - working towards the furtherance of the Gospel.

I don't know or care what the United States/Canadian/English laws are - believers answer to a higher standard.

What about the commands to take care of the widows, orphans, and the poor?
Was that blacked out of the Bible like chapter 10 in our Biology books?

When my father died, a number of supporting churches quit supporting my mother. It created a real hardship for her. Do they really think she did nothing of value while on the mission field? What narrow people! Maybe they should only send single men with no wives or families. New Tribes should be ashamed of themselves. Their policy leaves widows destitute.
How do they get away with that?

Not only that, while in the mission we had to account for our "mission work". We were required to put in so many hours a week of 'serves' So both need to be recognized.

just a question - are NTM missionaries considered as "employees" of NTM or as "independent contractors"? In other words, does NTM withhold federal income tax and social security/Medicare taxes from the missionary "paychecks" or does the missionary claim the income as "self employment" income and submit all relevant taxes?

I am not a specialist in individual taxation or expat taxation. However, I would offer the following advice to the ladies out there: consult with somebody who does specialize in such matters to find out, amongst other things, (1) whether you can go back and amend prior individual tax returns to split the self employment income between you and your husband, and (2) how far back you can amend. You can only amend back 3 years for additional refund claims, but I don't know what the limit is for other amendments.

Of course, the following would have to be considered: whether your hubby would go along with it, re-opening the statute of limitations on returns for which the SOL has otherwise expired, whether NTM actually submits payments to only the husband or to both the husband and wife, the net impact of splitting the social security wages, and the extent to which you have opted out of paying social security tax. Also, for those working overseas, sometimes it is only the husband who has a "work visa" - although this is not necessarily determinative for U.S. tax purposes.

On a go forward basis, I would strongly recommend exploring the idea of both husband and wife reporting a respective % of total taxable income.

On a related note, I don't want to open up a huge can of worms here, but to the extent the ladies have been working without compensation, and IF the ladies could prove that they have been working as "employees" rather than independent contractors (at least for work performed in the U.S.), then the minimum wage laws may kick in and some past due compensation would be in order. Whether somebody is working as an employee or as an independent contractor is largely a matter of common law and is determined under all the facts and circumstances. An agreement designating somebody as an employee or independent contractor is not determinative. Just saying.

On a somewhat related note, I think this FAQ and corresponding answer from the NTM website is interesting...the response does not really answer the question, does it?

"How much of my gift will the missionary receive?
Each gift you give will be used in full for the expenses of the missionary’s ministry or project you designate"

The real answer is that the missionary will receive the gross amount donated, less any credit card transaction fees, less a mandated local "field" tax, less mandated fees for every "NTM @ Work" magazine and postage sent to donors, less manadated health insurance, retirement plan contributions, etc. etc. etc. I'm not sure if there is a general NTM "tax" on top of all that as well.

Of course, all these could be characterized as "ministry expenses"...but I think the answer is misleading to the donors - especially the field tax part. I'm not commenting on the validity of any of these fees/taxes. I'm just commenting on the potentially misleading nature of the response, which to me appears to be intentional.