NewStats: 3,260,892 , 8,172,874 topics. Date: Tuesday, 27 May 2025 at 11:40 PM 211c13

Pope Leo XIV may face a six-figure tax bill for his $33,000-a-month paycheck


As an American citizen, Pope Leo XIV could be required to file a tax return with the U.S. government, and his tax liability may reach six figures. Because the U.S. taxes its citizens on their worldwide income, Leo will need to file a return, with some additional details based on the bank s he controls as head of the Vatican, unless the U.S. makes an exception for him or he renounces his citizenship, experts said.

One of the first things Pope Leo XIV may need to do as the newly elected leader of the Catholic Church has nothing to do with religion, but rather finances: finding an ant.

The U.S. is one of only a handful of countries that taxes citizens living abroad. Thus, thanks to his American port, the 69-year-old Chicago-born pope, known until last week as Robert Prevost, will likely need to file a tax return to the U.S. government just like any other citizen, experts told Fortune.

As pope, Leo XIV is entitled to a salary of 30,000 euros, or about $33,000 per month, which puts his annual earnings at about $396,000 per year. Unless given an exception, the first American pontiff may have an estimated tax liability of $135,287, which includes both federal and self-employment tax, based on his salary, Washington-based ant Hector Castaneda told Fortune.

Edward A. David, an assistant professor in the department of theology and religious studies at King’s College London, told the Washington Post it’s hard to know whether the U.S. will insist on collecting the pope’s tax return, and it’s possible the government could exempt him. Still, Timothy Fogarty, an ing professor at Case Western Reserve University, told Fortune it’s likely the pope would not be exempt.

“Although there is no ing for the discretion that might be brought to bear, the new pope is unlikely to be exempt from U.S. income taxes. U.S. tax law claims the right to tax all citizens on their worldwide income. There is no blanket exception for religious personnel nor for people who are diplomats/head of state for foreign countries such as the Vatican,” said Fogarty.

The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to Fortune’s question on whether the pope could receive an exemption.

From 2015 to 2023, Leo XIV served as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, where he likely already dealt with the far-reaching U.S. tax system. Yet, because of his higher salary, should he accept it, and his control over Vatican financial s, filing a tax return may be more complicated than ever.

Filing a tax return is obligatory for all citizens, and if the laws were applied as they would be for every other citizen, Leo XIV may face a hefty tax bill.

“No matter where a religious leader is based, they still have to pay U.S. taxes on their income if they keep their U.S. citizenship,” Castaneda said.

A spokesperson for the IRS declined to comment to Fortune about Pope Francis’ tax liability.

“By law, federal employees are barred from disclosing tax return information,” the spokesperson said.

Still, the pope may have some, but not many, options for reducing his tax bill, Linda Jensen, the founder of Heart Financial Group, told Fortune.

Apart from the $14,600 standard deduction, Leo may be eligible to deduct costs associated with his housing if he receives an allowance or lives in Vatican-provided housing like the papal apartments or the deceased Pope Francis’ preferred residency, Casa Santa Marta.

The IRS allows religious leaders to deduct the lesser of an official housing allowance, actual housing expenses, or the fair rental value of the home (including furnishings and utilities), from their tax bill, said Jensen.

of the clergy are considered self-employed for the purposes of Social Security and Medicare taxes, Jensen said, but if Pope Leo previously claimed a conscientious religious objection to public insurance early in his career, he may be off the hook for those taxes.

Usually, Americans who earn money abroad are able to deduct $130,000 of foreign earned income, but it’s doubtful this would apply to Leo XIV as the rule excludes income earned from a foreign government, like the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV’s American citizenship may have also inadvertently brought a major financial complication to the Vatican. Under the Foreign Tax Compliance Act, which was aimed at cracking down on offshore tax evasion, the Vatican is required to report to the IRS the details of Americans’ bank and brokerage s, which in theory would include Leo XIV’s s, said Jensen. Because of his authority over offshore s as head of the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV may also need to file a form 8938 with the IRS.

Finally, U.S. citizens with “signature authority,” or ultimate control of a bank containing more than $10,000, also have to file a Foreign Bank Report to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit. As of 2023, the Vatican Bank had holdings of $6.1 billion.

“As a U.S. citizen abroad with significant foreign ties, he has complex reporting obligations. Even the Pope might need a great A,” said Jensen.

https://fortune.com/2025/05/13/pope-leo-xiv-taxes-first-american-pontiff/

Wow the new Pope is cashing out big here. The richest Christian cleric in Africa, Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel no cash out reach this new America born Pope Leo Xiv. The $33k is equivalent to #52m in Nigeria currency. There's big money in catholic church. Meanwhile, check out the secret of pope



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8OO5Xpuv-s?si=hEjxOQTJDsbTR_yH

Pope Leo Xiv will even pay tax, unlike Nigeria pastors? 😳😳😳😳

Imagine a whole Pope paying tax

Yet pentecostal businessmen are choping free money in Nigeria..

If Tinubu was Pope.
Even angels go dey pay tax

Harbemus Tinibus

Easy peasy

You want to tax a head of state? I laugh in Elon Musk.

The Pope isn't paid by a salary by any US Source. He can't pay tax from income he got in his official duties as Pope. He enjoys diplomatic immunity which includes exemptions from US income taxes on earnings related to his official duties. Therefore, this story is just looking for gist to write to keep our tongues wagging

Pope self-dey collect salary to do what exactly?

Popes don't pay any bills!

If na Nigeria wan tax religious leader na war.
See why we cant be like them
Make we just face our system and try make am work for the betterment of the nation

Adeboye and Oyedepo church no rich catholic church. Catholic church rich no be small. They even have countless universities in Africa and other continents in the world.

What does a pope need 33k USD monthly salary for?.....
How much did Peter collect
How much did Paul collect.
.
Christianity has really missed its true path.
..
Christianity ti Kori sigbo walai

A whole lot of people still don’t know that the Pope is the president in the Vatican City….

He is able and capable of 10 figure taxes

I thought he said his monthly salary he is donating it to motherless home... I am not understanding.

The current most trending cleric in the world right now

Interesting

The Pope should me ASAP

I am not surprised, even Jesus Christ paid tax in the Bible. When he asked Peter to go open the mouth of the fish and he will see coins there and use it to pay. I am not surprised.

Truths9ja:
Wow the new Pope is cashing out big here. The richest Christian cleric in Africa, Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel no cash out reach this new America born Pope Leo Xiv. The $33k is equivalent to #52m in Nigeria currency. There's big money in catholic church. Meanwhile, check out the secret of pope



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8OO5Xpuv-s?si=hEjxOQTJDsbTR_yH

What a dumb move of converting usd to ngn. I wonder when your likes will understand that it doesn't work like that

Yes, US citizens and companies are taxed based on their world wide income or profits.

So, if I am American and I live as an expatraite in Nigeria, I am expected to pay another tax to the US after paying that for Nigeria. It is just stupid.

That is why many Europeans who were born in the US and became citizens by default, renounce it. Over 5,000 Europeans do so each year.

US companies to are taxed on their worldwide profits. The good thing is that the profits are only taxed when the money enters the US. Companies have lots of profits banked overseas.

You’ll see the churches crying foul here in the country if they’re told to pay tax!
Ani hypocr!sy dey all of una blood seh 😏

American citizens have to pay income tax to the US regardless of where they live.

How is this news?

What about Davido and all Nigerian dual US citizens who do not pay anything to the US government? What will the Pope be paying to Peru as a dual citizen?

The tax should not go e him headache after all he's not saving money to buy a house or a car

I am earning like footballers

He wouldn't need the US citizenship anymore. He is like the head of state of a sovereign country now.

papyjaypaul:
You want to tax a head of state? I laugh in Elon Musk.

The Pope isn't paid by a salary by any US Source. He can't pay tax from income he got in his official duties as Pope. He enjoys diplomatic immunity which includes exemptions from US income taxes on earnings related to his official duties. Therefore, this story is just looking for gist to write to keep our tongues wagging

Why una dey like comment without reading the post?

ThothHermes:
Why una dey like comment without reading the post?

What part of the OP's post did you miss

Junk journalism...

Pope Leo was slated to have a paycheck of $2500 monthly from official Vatican Sources. But then he says he wants to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. He have given up on any form of salary or monetary incentives


Stop writing trash here

OMOH