Tithing Settlement!

[sportsfan101]

okay this is very embarrasing but i have been a member nearly my whole life and i dont know what tithing settlement is! can anyone shed some light?

[pushka]

As no-one else has posted about this, I will give you my short, Non-LDS version of what I think it is...any LDS who want to make things more clear to you may do so..

Each member is required, when eligible by age etc. to pay 10% of their Income to the church as a Tithing...following the lead of the Bible.

Each year that member then gets together with their Bishop and they meet to discuss whether or not they've paid a full tithe that year, and to receive a statement of what they have paid...I believe that meeting/document is known as Tithing Settlement.

(Please forgive me if I am incorrect about any of the above, especially as regards discussing whether a full tithe has been paid or not, that may occur under different circumstances only if necessary).

Hope this helps a little.

[pam]

Couldn't have answered it better myself Pushka.

[prisonchaplain]

We've had some fun with discussions about whether to tithe on the net or the gross, or some combination thereof. It's my understanding that such matters are left to personal conscience. Yes?

[Alaskagain]

We've had some fun with discussions about whether to tithe on the net or the gross, or some combination thereof. It's my understanding that such matters are left to personal conscience. Yes?

Yes.

[pushka]

Couldn't have answered it better myself Pushka.

Phew! Thank you Pam, I was worried about possibly misrepresenting the church on this!! :)

[Palerider]

Here is how Bishop Pale conducted his tithing settlement interviews....

Start with Prayer-I would always ask for the member to offer this and we would kneel if all parties were able to- the reason for having the member offer the prayer are: it allows me to listen to them communicate with our Heavenly Father and I would feel for the Spirit so that I might be abke to pick up on something.

Small Talk-try to help them to feel comfortable

Go over tithes and offerings if any were donated

Ask them how do they declare and would remond them it was between them and the Lord

Thank them for being a member of the ward and offer words of encouragement

Closing Prayer-offered by me

Then wait for the next person or persons..... :)

[prisonchaplain]

You mean you never gently, subtly, tried to ascertain how a CPA could donate $1500 in a year, and declare that they were full tithers??? (LOL, but probably not unheard of).

[Alaskagain]

You mean you never gently, subtly, tried to ascertain how a CPA could donate $1500 in a year, and declare that they were full tithers??? (LOL, but probably not unheard of).

Weellll, if the CPA were in business for himself, and he was found guilty of tax fraud and spent 11 months out of 12 in a cell . . . . .

[rusure]

We've had some fun with discussions about whether to tithe on the net or the gross, or some combination thereof. It's my understanding that such matters are left to personal conscience. Yes?

Yeah, sure, since CPA is a professional designation/license, but doesn't mean there is a large income -- that would come via a job or business gross profit.

[Palerider]

You mean you never gently, subtly, tried to ascertain how a CPA could donate $1500 in a year, and declare that they were full tithers??? (LOL, but probably not unheard of).

before the question is even asked....you know if they are a full tithe payer or not....and the person knows that you know .

[miztrniceguy]

<div class='quotemain'>

You mean you never gently, subtly, tried to ascertain how a CPA could donate $1500 in a year, and declare that they were full tithers??? (LOL, but probably not unheard of).

before the question is even asked....you know if they are a full tithe payer or not....and the person knows that you know .

how would you know if you were not privy to their full financial statements? is this something you can discern? having never been a bishop, nor ever planning to be, i would not now if HF "tells" you.

[Palerider]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

You mean you never gently, subtly, tried to ascertain how a CPA could donate $1500 in a year, and declare that they were full tithers??? (LOL, but probably not unheard of).

before the question is even asked....you know if they are a full tithe payer or not....and the person knows that you know .

how would you know if you were not privy to their full financial statements? is this something you can discern? having never been a bishop, nor ever planning to be, i would not now if HF "tells" you.

yes it is something you can discern.....and you recieve that when set apart in your calling.....just for your info....I felt like you once ...never thought I would be called.....after I was released....I thought I will never be called again....boy was I wrong!!

[miztrniceguy]

but do you think that it is possible that a bishop may discern incorrectly?...and i don't mean this to be disrespectful, nor to imply i wish to deceive my bishop.

[Palerider]

but do you think that it is possible that a bishop may discern incorrectly?...and i don't mean this to be disrespectful, nor to imply i wish to deceive my bishop.

oh yea....there are good liars out there.....

[Moksha]

The first year I started going back to Church I noticed one of the members taking his income tax returns in with him and that threw me off wanting to do this. I have avoided going into that meeting. I pay my tithing but don't want to be squeezed for my Christmas money too.

[prisonchaplain]

you can send that christmas offering to:

chaplainsentertainmentfund.org

I promise not to use any LDS funds diverted to me for coffee. :-)

[Gwen]

okay this is very embarrasing but i have been a member nearly my whole life and i dont know what tithing settlement is! can anyone shed some light?

you shouldn't be embarrased your parents should be. we go to tithing settlement as a family (even the 2 yr old goes with us lol). no numbers are discussed openly. we make sure the kids have a chance to pay some kind of tithing throughout the yr (even if just 50 cents). everyone gets their own paper stating what the chruch says their tithing was, we explain to the kids what it says. the branch pres talks to them a bit first, what tithing is etc. then he asks us. we have our paper as does he so we don't discuss the amt, not about the amt; all the kids hear is a yes or here is the tithing from the last paycheck (as we give him an envelope) that will finish us out. the branch pres always asks if there are any needs our family has, and gives us a chance to make an apt with him to meet privately if there are things to discuss the kids need not hear. i've been asking myself lately when are the kids old enough to do tithing settlement privately, so they have a chance to talk to the branch pres without us there (would be invited to sit with the family also but "their" part would be done).

on a side note tithing settlement has a legal purpose as well. you get the chance to see if the church records are the same as your private records. you know that no one has embezeled your money, that it went where it should have and all is accounted for. you get your official receipt from the chruch for tax records, not all those yellow pappers.

[Alaskagain]

Yes, Almom, I have always encouraged family tithing settlements! Children learn a testimony of tithing from a very young age that way.

There is absolutely NO reason to take your tax return with you to a tithing settlement.

Tithing settlement is not meant to embarrass anyone, it is just an opportunity you have to "settle up" if you have fallen behind, to declare whether you are a tithe-payer or not, and to receive a statement from the church that serves as an official receipt for your charitable tax deduction, if you take it. There is even a box on the form that you can declare as a "partial" tithe-payer, or your bishop may determine that you are "exempt" (I have no idea what makes a person "exempt"). If you determine you are a "partial" tithe-payer, it is an opportunity to repent and plan so you will pay a full tithe in the future - if that is your desire. Nobody is going to force you to pay tithing.

Sometimes it is the only time a person or family meets with the bishop during the year, so it can also be a time of fellowship and getting to know one another better as well.