The pope took a vow of poverty. He may still need to file US taxes.

Will Pope Liu the fourteenth provide and pay American taxes, despite his strict pledge of poverty?

Liu is the first American Pope in history. It is required by American citizens, regardless of where they live or those who are, pay a tax on their income all over the world – if they are debtors.

Even if they are not in tax, they may have to provide a return to the internal revenue service. And whether the Pope or the rest of us, there are good reasons for the application despite the lack of it. This year, the deposit threshold is 17,000 dollars of a total taxpayer, such as Liu, 65 years old or older.

For Chicago, however, there are unusual conditions that it can exempt from or even raise American taxes.

Here is the background: In the Roman Catholic Church, the rules of property ownership and income differ by Catholic clerics and members of religious orders on a large scale. Do not take all promises of poverty, and some poverty promises are more strict than others.

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The members of the Ordinance of St. Augustine, which Liu entered into the role of Robert Perform in his twenties, take the harshest pledge of poverty, known as the official pledge. On the night before joining the request as complete members, they sign a document that abandons their right to possess property and say that they hand over all their goods to the request.

The newly -elected Pope Liu, the Cardinal Robert Brevost, of the United States appears on the balcony of the Church of St. Peter, in the Vatican, May 8, 2025. Reuters/Golimo Manjaban (Reuters / Gollemo Manjaban / Reuters)

The Wall Street Journal reviewed the abandonment of the Pope, which he signed in 1981.

The father, James Haltement, the Middle West treasurer, Augustine, who Liu joined, says that if one of the members got a salary of teaching, he is usually paid directly to the request, a tax -exempt organization. This means that the members do not have a taxable income.

If Augustine receives a gift or another income, it also gives up. Halstead adds that when the packages are now Cardinal, he handed over a generous amount he received as a gift.

In addition, members do not personally pay medical care and social security. Instead, the fees pay the fees on their behalf.

The Tax Authority says that tax collection is more efficient this year, as receipts increased by more than 5 %

As a result, Augustinians do not make individual tax decisions to the United States, and Haltement says the demand has no record of providing any Leo’s revenues. The Tax Authority allows this; For more information, see the 517th Tax Authority post for clerics.

Note: Not all promises of poverty lead to tax exemption. He continued the Tax Authority and won the issues that involve the poverty covenants.

Another discussion on the American LEO taxes focused on a possible income – not a strict pledge of poverty that might mean that he has no income or responsibility to present.

Pope Liu XIV shakes his hands during an audience with representatives of the media in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican, May 12, 2025. (Reuters / Elweisa Lopez / Reuters)

Now that the Pope has become, Liu and his advisors need to think about what to do to go forward. Pope Augustine remains, and Haltement hopes that he can continue its previous practice. In this case, any payment or salary for the Pope can go directly to Augustine and may not need to be submitted.

Vatican officials did not respond to the request to comment on the Pope’s wages or tax deposit. A spokeswoman for the Treasury also refused to comment, noting the laws of taxpayers.

If Leo decides to have income and needs to provide an American return, he may face issues that torment many Americans living abroad. The papers are often exhausted, and the rules of duplication of duplicity have gaps. During his 2024 campaign, President Trump called for changing the rules, but the draft law was approved on Wednesday by the Roads and Means Committee in the House of Representatives not to touch them.

If Pope Liu fourteen decides to have income and needs to provide the return of the United States, he may face problems that torment many Americans living abroad. (Andrew Harr / Bloomberg / Getty Images)

If he does the file, Leo is likely to benefit from excluding foreign acquired income, a tax malfunction that earns the profits of Americans abroad. For 2025, the maximum is $ 130,000 per file – but to claim it, the taxpayer must submit it.

About 20 thousand Tax Authority workers weighing acquisition offers

In addition, Vatican officials need to verify whether LEO should provide models to notify the American authorities of some foreign accounts or assets. The FBAR model often applies to expatriates with foreign financial accounts with a total of more than $ 10,000 during the year, while the IRS 8938 model applies to various foreign financial assets of greater value.

One thing that may not be worried about is the tax on the value of the accommodation, meals, travel, clothes and other expenses paid by the Vatican. In the case of the Pope, they are not considered a taxable income because they are two conditions for his operation.

Pope Leo fourteen holds fans with media representatives in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican, May 12, 2025. (Reuters / Elweisa Lopez / Reuters)

Even if the Pope is not required to submit an American tax declaration, some tax specialists recommend that he – and other Americans who have a significant or non -existent income – anyway.

One of the reasons is that providing the return can be a good way to prevent the stealing of the tax identity. This happens when one of the fraudsters uses the social security number for another person and the date of birth – like the Pope – to increase their money for themselves. The stealing of the tax identity is exhausted to relax, and to deposit the returns regularly makes it difficult for fraudsters to act. Leo can also get a special IP pin that prevents anyone from providing his knowledge.

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Matthew Blaise, the comprehensive peace agreement in Chicago, which is responsible for tax deposits for many Catholic priests and members of religious orders, his clients are advised to request so that the Tax Authority has a record of them. During the epidemic, it was difficult for the clergy agents who did not apply for their motivation payments, he says.

David Livson, a comprehensive peace agreement with Crowe, who advises world -income Americans, says there is a more important reason for presentation. Providing a return to the Tax Authority stimulates the statute of limitations, which does not start operating until then. For typical tax issues, the statute is three years.

He explains: “The submission of the tax declaration is a Liu to show respect for his nationality, and it actively confirms that he owes a little tax or non -existent.”