For churches in Tennessee, the value and presence of written contracts is important to provide protection to the organization’s fundamental components. With clearly articulated guidelines in place, church facilities can operate with the confidence that their agreed-upon terms are being honored. Often, the challenging part for churches is figuring out which vital components of a contract must be considered. Others …
Churches today share some similarities with non-religious organizations in how they are run. For instance, church operators need to think about tax-exempt status, employment requirements, insurance and property ownership just as any other business operator would. Despite some similarities, though, churches are not the same as non-religious organizations. This can make it difficult to understand how to resolve disputes that …
In recognition of their first-amendment rights, as well as their general importance to American culture, the U.S. government has enacted special tax laws that apply to churches and other religious organizations. Specifically, these entities are typically exempt from having to pay income tax and, likewise, are usually able to receive tax-exempt contributions. Yet obtaining this tax-exempt status is not always …
Transparency, Candid communication, Tailored advocacy These descriptors are the fundamental objectives in every client matter for the lawyers at Fidelis Law. From our offices in Brentwood, our legal team of attorneys — who collectively have decades of professional experience — seek to promote and advocate for the legal interests of our diverse clientele across select practice areas. We serve clients …
In recent years I have seen an increase in mergers between nonprofits, including between churches, charitable organizations and educational institutions. There are a number of reasons why nonprofits merge, including the consolidation of a shared mission or purpose, combining financial resources and reducing cost, volunteers and leadership, to infuse new life and vigor into an organization, or to increase spheres …
I will make this Charitable Donation, but only if….. Under Tennessee law, a conditional gift is enforceable according to the terms of the gift. T.C.A. §35-13-103 states that “a gift instrument that specifies the charitable beneficiaries, objects, purposes or subjects of the charitable gift controls the disposition or administration of the charitable gift.” (Emphasis Added). So what does that mean? …
