Headquarter Happenings

Dates to Know

December 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 7 – If you use our processing services to send out your prayer letter via prayerletters.com or MailChimp alone or prayerletters.com and MailChimp together, please submit your letters anytime before 4:00 PM EST, December 7th. This enables us to process and send to prayerletters.com and recipients to receive it by Christmas. Letters received after this date will not be mailed until after Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

January 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 1 – December Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

April 11-14 – Family Fellowship Week in Asheboro, NC

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

December Support

Please contact us via Signal by December 15 if you would like funds in your account before Christmas. Final December support distributions will be made on January 12 for all missionaries, regardless of their regular pay date. Contacting us by December 15 will enable us to schedule your funds around bank closings and holiday hours. Should you have an emergency need after December 17, you may contact Naomi Torberson at 704-692-7237.

January Income Totals

During a typical month, we close the books on the 25th, and any checks received after that date are posted to the following month. Due to receipting requirements, we cannot do this in the month of December. As a result, please be aware that your December support total may be higher than normal, while your January support total may be lower than normal. Please be sure to plan ahead for this!

Upcoming Financial Reports for US Missionaries

Please prepare now to ensure that your year-end financial reports are submitted on time. October reports are due December 1, November reports are due January 1, and December reports are due January 15. If it is possible for you to submit reports before the due dates, that would greatly assistant our staff. Please note, it is fine to submit a report without waiting for the Line 1 income figure. We can add that for you as needed. Reports should be submitted to [email protected]. Please be sure to include all receipts for expenses $75 and over at the same time you submit your report so there are no delays in processing. Thank you for your help in these areas.

New Meal Allowance Rates

The US Government issued updated Meal Allowance rates effective October, 2021-September 2022. The standard daily rate within the Continental US has increased from $55 to $59. Please note that if you would like to take advantage of this on your October, November, and December financial reports you should follow instructions on the Mileage tab. You can adjust the report by following the steps listed for utilizing international meal allowance rates. If you have a question, please contact us at [email protected]. These new rates will be included as part of the 2022 Financial Report template, which will be available in mid-February 2022.

 

New Baby

Sophia Bonikowsky was born on December 2. Sophia weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces. Sophia is the second daughter of David and Raquel Bonikowsky. She joins her sister Leire, who is 17 months. The Bonikowskys are missionaries in Spain. Sophia is also the granddaughter of our missionaries Andy and Mimi Bonikowsky, and the great-granddaughter of Al and Helga Bonikowsky.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

Being Like Christ While Serving The Lord by Pastor David Landers

Psalm 23 by David Landers, Gene Krachenfels, Jeremy Lockhart, and John O’Malley

Psalm 2 by Jeremy Lockhart

Stewardship Principles by Pastor Jim Davidson

Stay Focused by Pastor Chad Estep

Dates to Know

November 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Veterans Day.

November 25-26 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Thanksgiving.

December 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 7 – All prayer letters the Office assists in mailing through prayerletters.com should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them before Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 17 – All prayer letters the Office assists in sending solely through MailChimp should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them by the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

January 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 1 – December Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

Family Fellowship Week Returns!

We are excited to announce the return of Family Fellowship Week! This week has always been a highlight for our missions family, and we have missed it these past few years. This year’s meeting will be held April 11-15, 2022, at the Caraway Conference Center in the Asheboro, NC, area. Please make plans to join us! We need your tentative answer, regardless of whether you will come or not, by November 15. If you have not already registered your reply, please click here today. If your plans change, please let us know as soon as possible. Final reservations need to be communicated to the office by February 1, 2022.

This is a time to gather for fellowship and encouragement. Meals, lodging, and child care are provided. Attendees should plan to stay the entire week. There will be preaching and teaching sessions in the morning and evening, with free time in the afternoons. The week provides opportunities to rub shoulders with fellow servants around the world, in all stages of ministry. Please plan to join us.

January Income Totals

During a typical month, we close the books on the 25th, and any checks received after that date are posted to the following month. Due to receipting requirements, we cannot do this in the month of December. As a result, please be aware that your December support total may be higher than normal, while your January support total may be lower than normal. Please be sure to plan ahead for this! In addition, because of these changes, normal pay dates are adjusted. Be sure to check the important dates section above!

Upcoming Financial Reports for US Missionaries

Please prepare now to ensure that your year-end financial reports are submitted on time. October reports are due December 1, November reports are due January 1, and December reports are due January 15. If it is possible for you to submit reports before the due dates, that would greatly assistant our staff. Please note, it is fine to submit a report without waiting for the Line 1 income figure. We can add that for you as needed. Reports should be submitted to [email protected]. Please be sure to include all receipts for expenses $75 and over at the same time you submit your report so there are no delays in processing. Thank you for your help in these areas.

New Executive Board Members

We are grateful for the men who sacrificially give of their time and energies to lead the mission agency. We are pleased to announce some recent changes to our Executive Board!

Danny Whetstone was elected as the new Chairman of the Board. Bro. Whetstone became an Executive Board Member in 1976 while pastoring in TN. In 1985 he resigned the pastorate to serve as a missionary in Grenada. Since returning from the field, he has held several positions with WWNTBM, including President and Vice-Chairman of the Board. He and his wife Darleen continue traveling and speaking in missions conferences around the globe. They have four adult children.

Michael West was elected as the new Vice-Chairman of the Board. Bro. West has served on our Executive Board since 1999, and has previously served as the Second Vice-Chairman. He has pastored Memorial Baptist Church in Ocala, FL, since 1982. He and his wife Boone have three adult children.

In addition to the above new officers, the Executive Board also added the following new members.

Frank Camp has been appointed to the Executive Board of WWNTBM. Bro. Camp has served on our Board of Reference since 2010. He has pastored Victory Baptist Church in Darlington, SC, since 2017. Prior to accepting the pastorate in SC, he taught at Ambassador Baptist College for many years, and also previously pastored two churches in NC for twenty-four years. He and his wife Renee have three married daughters and twelve grandchildren, including Christa (and John) Boylston, who served with World Wide for many years in Pohnpei.

David Fulp has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. Fulp has served on our Board of Reference since 2017. He pastored for twenty-eight years before moving to Bethel Baptist Church in Rockwell, NC, in 2020. He and his wife Lisa have two married children, including Stephanie (and Tim) Germano, who serve as World Wide missionaries in the Dominican Republic.

John O’Malley has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. O’Malley has held many positions with WWNTBM since 1993. Most recently, he was appointed to serve as President in February of 2020, a position he will continue to hold simultaneously to serving on the Executive Board. He and his wife Kim served as missionaries to Grenada, and also pastored in AL prior to coming with World Wide. They have one married son.

Michael Renfrow has been appointed to the Executive Board. Bro. Renfrow has served on our Board of Reference since 2016. He has pastored Trinity Baptist Church in Wilson, NC, since 2014. Prior to pastoring, he served as an evangelist for 21 years. He and his wife Priscilla have two married sons, and two daughters still living at home.

New Babies

Violet Claire Stelzig was born on September 30. She weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. Violet is the daughter of Nick and Lindsey Stelzig. She joins older siblings Gabe (6), Ellie (4), and Lucy (2). The Stelzigs are church planters in Lawrence, MA, in the greater Boston area.

Christy Sue Folkers was born on September 16. She weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Christy is the daughter of Seth and Kaitlin Folkers.  She joins older siblings Atarah (3), and Beniah (20 months). The Folkers are work with a mobile Bible Institute and assist church planters in Cameroon.

 

Daniel Hadad was born on October 17. He is the first born child of Jamil and Karla Hadad, who minister in the Middle East.

Righteous Rides Is Coming To Charlotte

Righteous Rides provides rental vehicles to missionaries.  Their vision is for every international missionary to have access to affordable and stress-free stateside transportation. Their mission is to provide care and cars to missionaries on home assignment…in a manner worthy of God.

Righteous Rides main hub is in St. Louis, Missouri. They also have 10 other hubs located across the U.S. and 150 vans.

To request a vehicle go online to righteousrides.org or learn more by clicking here.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

A Servant’s Heart by Pastor David Landers

Dealing with Conflicts by John O’Malley

Make Christ your Master by Jeremy Lockhart

How We May Respond in Time of Difficulty by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

Dates to Know

October 1 – August Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

October 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

October 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Columbus Day.

November 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 11 – Most US Banks will be closed for Veterans Day.

November 25-26 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Thanksgiving.

December 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

December 7 – All prayer letters the Office assists in mailing should be submitted to our staff in order for your recipients to get them before Christmas.

December 15 – Please contact us by this date via Signal if you will need funds in your account before Christmas or the end of the year.

December 20-24 – The office will be closed in celebration of Christmas.

January 1 – November Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 1 – December Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

January 10 – Missionaries will receive their statements of December Support Received.

January 12 – All missionaries will receive their final December support on this day, regardless of the day they normally receive support.

January 15 – December Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries, along with any remaining receipts or financial paperwork for 2021. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

February 1 – 1099 Forms and other tax documentation for the 2021 tax year will be available.

Prayer Letter Services

Mr. Chris Beane, an associate missionary with World Wide to the UK, is now helping us with our prayer letter, social media, and website work. Mr. Beane is a former full-time staff member at Ambassador Baptist College. He recently moved to New Jersey to assist a church as an internship for ministry experience. Mr. Beane will work remotely for Ambassador Baptist College and contractually for WWNTBM.

Formerly, Mrs. Holly Minion communicated with you about your prayer letters. Holly accepted a job to work in her church in Minnesota. We are grateful for her years of service and will miss her.

Brother Beane is well-qualified technically and spiritually to assist you and our agency with these behind the scene tasks. Please continue to send all prayer letter-related correspondence to us at [email protected].

Financial Report Reminder

As we enter the last quarter of the year, thoughts turn to year-end tax procedures. Many people begin thinking of last-minute deductions that will affect them. For our US Missionaries, if you anticipate making large ministry purchases and you desire the purchase to be a deduction in the year 2021, you may wish to make the purchase by the end of November. Because of the way our 1099s are calculated, December expenses are “reimbursed” out of January income, so the tax benefit on your 1099 would actually be considered a 2022 reimbursement. Regardless of when the purchase is made, you will still receive a tax benefit. However, we wanted you to be aware of these deadlines as you plan your expenses over the next few months.

Please keep in mind the due dates for financial reports. With the holidays approaching it is easy to let these slip past, but our CPA has encouraged us we need to keep to the due dates, per IRS regulations. The best situation is for you to report all ministry expenses through WW, thus providing the fullest tax benefit. If you do not submit an MFR on time, you can still submit the expenses on your personal taxes on a Schedule C. If you are not currently submitting financial reports we suggest you consider this option. If you have questions about this, please contact Naomi Torberson.

Postal Service Changes

Effective October 1, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has revised its service standards for certain First-Class Mail items, resulting in a delivery window of up to five days. Current standards call for delivering First Class mail in one to three days. Under revised standards, the delivery time would stretch to as many as five days, according to the Postal Service plan. It also said it would “align hours of operation” at low-traffic post offices. The WWNTBM Office handles bill pay for many of our missionary families. We will adjust the timing of our mailings to allow for the additional delivery periods. We are committed to providing you with the best possible service.

Year-End Prayer Letter Services

If you use our processing services to send out your prayer letter, please submit your letters anytime before 7:00pm EST, December 7. This enables us to process them so your recipients will receive them by Christmas. Letters received after this date will not be mailed until after Christmas.

Our Office will resume processing prayer letters on December 27.

Financial Couriers

Missionaries occasionally have situations where they request that we send funds through a courier, rather than through normal banking channels. Often this is used when it is beneficial to have US cash brought into a country. We have established the following fiduciary guidelines to ensure full transparency and accountability whenever we distribute funds to an individual who is not a World Wide missionary. If you have questions about this process, please contact our Office.

If the courier is a US Citizen, they must provide:

• A W-9 form for our records
• A government-issued photo ID, preferably a passport, that shows their citizenship status
• An ACH Credit form with their banking information

If the courier is a Non-US Citizen, they must provide:

• A W-8BEN form for our records
• A government-issued photo ID, preferably a passport, that shows their citizenship and visa status
• An ACH Credit form with their banking information

Additional Notes:

• If funds will pass through multiple individuals before they reach the missionary, World Wide will need a list of each individual who will handle the funds, so that we can provide the courier with a chain of custody receipt. This receipt should be signed by each individual along the route. The missionary will then return the receipt to World Wide once funds are received.
• The Missionary should confirm any restrictions for someone carrying cash into their country. Each country has its own laws about how much cash can be brought in, and whether it needs to be declared to customs officials.
• Groups traveling together as they leave the US are limited to carrying a combined total of $10,000 without declaring it for customs purposes. There is no impact to them for declaring it. However, failure to declare funds in excess of $10,000 can result in penalties.

New Baby

Dalton Ray Elwart was born on September 20. He weighed 9 pounds 8 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Dalton is the son of Jackie and Brittany Elwart. He joins older siblings Charlotte (14), Audrey (12), Sadie (10), and Elijah (1). The Elwarts are currently on deputation and hope to move to Big Bear, CA, later this year to plant a church.

Baptist History Recordings

Dr. David L. Cummins is well known for co-authoring three books on Baptist History, as well as his long involvement in world missions. World Wide was privileged to have him as a guest speaker at several Family Fellowship Weeks. In 1995, he gave five sessions on Baptist History and Missions. We have recently uncovered the recordings from that meeting and wanted to share them with our missions family.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4

Video 5

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

A Life of Contentment by Pastor David Landers

Walls, Enemies, and Giants by John O’Malley and Jeremy Kobernat

Be Still and Know by John O’Malley

Sources of Joy by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

Dates to Know

September 1 – July Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

September 1 – August Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

September 6 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Labor Day.

October 1 – August Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

October 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

November 1 – October Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

Welcome, Baby Cmaylo!

We are thrilled to announce the birth of Emil Jackson Cmaylo on August 20. He weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 23 inches long. He is the first child of Laura Cmaylo, our International Visa Coordinator, and her husband Emil. He is also the nephew of our Office Assistant Rebekah Tolley. Pray for the Cmaylos as they adjust to having this little one in their home!

New Engagement!

Missionary Dalton Heath and Brenda Jaques are engaged to be married on October 9. The couple knew each other in their college days and recently reconnected through mutual friends. They will make their home in New Bern, NC. Congratulations may be sent to [email protected].

Covid And Your Financial Reports

Covid has brought with it unexpected financial costs that may affect your monthly financial reports. Two areas we are seeing frequently include costs for Covid tests and/or quarantines and costs for flights that are canceled due to Covid. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Tests and Quarantine Costs

• Our CPA has informed us that, where it is required for ministry travel, Covid testing and/or vaccines may be listed as a ministry expense.
• Quarantine costs related to ministry travel should be handled like all other ministry travel costs. In other words, hotel costs may be listed as an actual expense, while any meal costs would be calculated at a meal allowance rate and should not be included as part of the hotel expense on the report.

Costs for Canceled or Changed Flights

• If you received a cash refund of the ticket price but had not yet listed the ticket purchase on your MFR, you can simply leave all records of the transaction(s) off of the reports.
• If you received a cash refund of the costs and had already listed the original purchase as an expense on a previously submitted report, you should list the refund as “income from other sources” in the month you received the refund. This shows the full paper trail of the financial transactions.
• If you received an airline credit, rather than a cash refund for the tickets, you may still list the cost of the ticket on your report. However, you should ensure that you only exchange the credit in the future for the purchase of another qualifying ministry flight. Because the cost was already accounted for, you would not list the cost on a future MFR when redeeming the credit later on, which would result in a duplication of the expense. However, ticket change fees or mileage redemption fees related to using the credit may still be listed as additional costs on your report.

See the Harvest – Boston

In early 2019, John O’Malley and Alton Beal, president of Ambassador Baptist College, discussed a mutual burden. They wanted to provide young people with an opportunity to See, Learn, and Do missions. This conversation led to a mission trip partnership we call See the Harvest. This summer, John and Kim O’Malley led a group to Boston, Massachusetts, where they ministered with WW Missionaries Nick and Lindsey Stelzig. Colton and Melodie Lee, our missionaries to the Solomon Islands, also took part in the trip.

The team met in Boston on August 2 and kicked off the week with a community outreach at a city park. Throughout the remainder of the week, they assisted six ministries in the greater Boson area with various outreach opportunities. They also met with 13 pastors representing five states for two Q&A panel discussions on ministry needs throughout New England.

The focus of See the Harvest is to allow young people the opportunity to See, Learn, and Do missions. The team was able to see the fields white unto harvest. They learned much about Baptist history and heritage. They participated in door-to-door canvassing, one on one soul-winning, and public ministry in church services. The team left with a passion for the lost, a love for the Lord’s harvest, and a burden to pray for missions.

A theme for this trip was taken from Luke 10:2, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” Check out SeetheHarvest.com for information on future trips.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

Give Ye Them to Eat by Pastor David Landers & Matt Brown

Isaac: A Life of Faith by John O’Malley

Our Great God by John O’Malley

Precious Things by Pastor Gene Krachenfels

What We Are Enjoying group podcast

Dates to Know

August 1 – June Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

August 1 – July Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

September 1 – July Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

September 1 – August Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

September 6 – The Office will be closed in celebration of Labor Day.

October 1 – August Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

October 1 – September Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

Staff Update

As many of you are aware, Mrs. Laura Cmaylo is expecting a baby within the next few weeks! If all goes as planned, she will be on maternity leave beginning August 4 through the end of September or early October. We are all excitedly anticipating the arrival of Baby Cmaylo!

Please click here to view a video regarding her maternity leave and how you should communicate with the office during her absence.

Child Tax Credit Details

Last month we shared an article that our CPA wrote concerting the Child Tax Credit Automatic payments. Mrs. Dorothy Joyner, who is the tax preparer for several of our missionaries, has provided the following additional information about these payments. We encourage all of our US missionaries with children at home to carefully review this and contact your tax preparer as soon as possible to assist you with tax planning related to these payments.

Congress has passed changes to the Child Tax Credit regulations for 2021. Taxpayers with eligible children are receiving monthly advances of their 2021 Child Tax Credit. The amount has been increased from $2,000 to $3,000 (for children ages 6-17) and $3,600 (for children 5 and under). This is for 2021 only. The payments are for the months of July through December and are half of what the IRS believes the taxpayer will be eligible for when they file their tax return.

To qualify to receive these advance payments, the taxpayer and their dependents must be living in the United States for at least half of the calendar year. These funds are being sent to taxpayers the IRS believes qualify based on their claiming dependents on their 2020 (or 2019) tax return. Some of our missionaries have begun receiving these payments. If you are receiving these payments and are living on a field outside of the United States for more than six months, you are not qualified to receive them. When you file your tax return, you will be required to repay these funds.

According to my research, I believe you would still qualify for the $2,000 Child Tax Credit that has been available for several years. The IRS website lists the qualification for this lower Child Tax Credit which requires that the children live with you but it does not specify in the United States.

Since 2015, those of you serving in foreign countries have been allowed to choose the Child Tax Credit or to exclude your income from income tax on Form 2555, but not both. For many of you, it has been to your advantage to use the Child Tax Credit. As your children age out of the credit, you can choose the tax exclusion after you have used the credit option for at least five years.

Recommended actions for those who will not be present in the US for six full months this year:

1. You may click here to opt out of these payments on a monthly basis. This allows you to login into the IRS program ID.me. If you have not previously created an account with ID.me, you will need your photo ID and a US-based cell phone number to create the account. (Note that each spouse must individually verify his or her identity and opt out.) Note: Others have found the process of creating an account to be somewhat difficult and time-consuming, so please be sure you have some time to devote to this process before you begin.

2. We recommend you return the funds you may have already received to the IRS with your quarterly estimated payments. If the Office assists with sending in your estimated taxes, you will need to contact Mrs. Kim and ask her to increase your estimated payments by the amount of the Advance Child Tax Credit you have received. If you do not follow this recommendation, you will most likely face a penalty on your tax return because your balance due would then exceed $1,000.

The IRS website describes situations in which this repayment can be forgiven. This forgiveness is based on income being below a limit; however, they clearly state that not being a resident of the country for over half the year disqualifies the taxpayer from their forgiveness program.

We feel it is very important that you are made aware of this situation to avoid surprises as to the amount you owe at tax time and to allow you to avoid penalties.

Please be aware this research is based on Frequently Asked Questions on the IRS website. Due to the volume of calls, they would not take my call when I tried to confirm with an IRS agent.

New Baby

Ezra Paul Prater was born July 24. He weighed 6 pounds. Ezra is the son of Ethan and Brittany Prater. He joins older siblings Enoch (9), Silas (6), Jude (5), and John (2). The Praters minister in the Dominican Republic.

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

The Pathfinder of the Seas by Pastor David Landers

Truly God is Good by John O’Malley

Characteristics of a Citizen of Zion by John O’Malley

Trusting God by Pastor Gene Krachenfels