What Tax Folks (and Kyle) Talk About When They Talk About Tithing

Yesterday, I saw this tweet from Jana Riess:

Study says young adult #Mormons most likely generation to tithe (but there’s a catch) https://t.co/V7jqAfkBfl via @janariess

— Jana Riess/Twible (@janariess) December 26, 2016

The catch: younger members are more likely than their elders to say they’re paying tithing on net, rather than gross, income.

The question of why younger generations are more willing to cop to paying 10% of their net income is an interesting one, and I have no idea if it reflects changes in religious rhetoric or in their financial situations. For that matter, I have no idea if it actually reflects a shift: maybe Mormons have always moved from net to gross as they’ve aged.

What’s clear, though, is that few people, if any, are actually paying tithing on their gross income. I tweeted to that effect, and got into a fun rabbit hole of a Twitter conversation. So, for your reading pleasure: What Tax Folks (and Kyle) Talk About When They Talk About Tithing:

Though, for the record, those who say they tithe on gross are wrong. Not lying, but they misunderstand gross income. The question isn’t 1/2 https://t.co/MzYecQJhUL

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016

gross vs. net, the question is which net income does one pay tithing on. 2/2

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016

@smbrnsn psh righteous saints tithe before living expenses

— Andrew S (@GASpriggs) December 30, 2016

@GASpriggs What I hope is that those who claim to pay on gross are paying on gifts, fringe benefits, and imputed income. #TaxNerdStuff

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016

@smbrnsn @GASpriggs /Cracks knuckles/ yeah, do they calculate and pay on amt employer pays in retirement accts and health insurance?

— Kristine A (@_Kristine_A) December 30, 2016

@_Kristine_A @smbrnsn where’s the cottage industry around selling indulge…err, making sure members’ tithes are full & complete?

— Andrew S (@GASpriggs) December 30, 2016

@GASpriggs @smbrnsn as an aside a few yrs ago I told my uncle he was Nickel and diming the lord by only paying net. My how far I’ve come

— Kristine A (@_Kristine_A) December 30, 2016

@_Kristine_A @GASpriggs What we should really do is set up real estate & film tithe shelters & market them aggressively!

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016

@smbrnsn @_Kristine_A @GASpriggs and are they paying more to account for the market value of any kids they added that year? #increase

— Kyle M (@_Intelligencer_) December 30, 2016

@_Intelligencer_ @_Kristine_A @GASpriggs Problem with kids is they’re illiquid investments, hard to value. I’m ok with deferring until sale

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016

@smbrnsn @_Kristine_A @GASpriggs I’ll build a kid-appraisal algorithm based on FB/Instagram likes for baby pictures.

— Kyle M (@_Intelligencer_) December 30, 2016

@_Intelligencer_ @smbrnsn @_Kristine_A aaaand we are now in Black Mirror

— Andrew S (@GASpriggs) December 30, 2016

@_Intelligencer_ @_Kristine_A @GASpriggs Sounds good. Though as long as we include an interest charge on deferred tithe we’re ok either way

— Sam Brunson (@smbrnsn) December 30, 2016