Tithing: Gross or net?

[Happy_LDS]

Feel free to answer the following questions:

1. Do you pay your tithing monthly or yearly?

2. Gross or net?

3. Do you have a testimony about tithing?

[Zelph]

Feel free to answer the following questions:

1. Do you pay your tithing monthly or yearly?

2. Gross or net?

3. Do you have a testimony about tithing?

I pay my tithing twice a month or whenever I get money.

I rather have a gross blessing then a net blessing.

Yes I do.

[Sariah_Gift]

I pay my tithing monthly  and I have a strong testimony about it. The most important thing to me isnt whether is gross or net but rather the kind of spirit we give.

[Robert9876]

There is no confusion from the brethren on this topic.   If there is any confusion it is from the membership that seems to continue saying things that are totally wrong.   As a bishop, I can tell you that the Lord stated that we pay 10% over our increase.   The brethren have never said anything more or less then that.   Well what is your increase?  And we can made it even more complex by asking this question from a business man.   Is it gross revenue or do we deduct the business expenses and taxes and pay based on the net after tax, take home for the worker?  We really don't know.   And nobody is authorized to expand on it and interprete.   So it becomes a matter of individual choice and interpretation.   I personally do not see it much different from fast offerings.   If you have not much, pay what your actual food has cost you.   But if you can. . . .  pay 5 times etc.   The brethren have said this many a time.   I do not see it much different in tithing.   If you do not have much, pay on your net.   If you have an awesome income etc etc.   Well may be you like to pray about it and can affort paying on the gross.   I do not believe at all that paying on the gross will get you more blessings. .   Another church actually did that kind off if you know what I mean.   God knows your intentions, your heart, your desire and blesses you accordingly.   

[Clifton]

I agree with Robert9876.  It is definitely between you and the Lord.  I don't know how many times that has been reiterated by church leaders.  Admittedly, over the years I have tried both gross and net.  I do not want to say it should be one way or the other because it is "between you and the Lord" as to what 10% of your increase is.

I do not feel I was more blessed when I was paying on the gross than when I was paying on the net.  As for paying more if you can afford it, I disagree.  Ten percent is just that, 10%, not 12%, not 15%.  The word tithing means tenth.  In my humble opinion, if you can pay more and want to pay more, that is when you put your money into the fast offerings, missionary, or Book of Mormon fund.  Fast offering is extremely important to help local people.  Don't delude yourself into thinking 15% tithing (oxymoron) will bring you better fire protection. 

You must realize that while the US income tax rate is somewhere between 15% and 35%, other countries income tax rates can get much higher, 48% in France, 43% in Italy, 51% in Norway, 56% in Sweden, and 59% in Denmark.  (from worldwide-tax. com) This is something to think about before trying to tell someone which to pay on, gross or net, and probably why it is left up to you and the Lord.     

It boils down to what you determine your increase to be.  I personally consider it to be what I bring home on my paycheck after taxes but before other withholdings like insurance.  That is what I am comfortable with before the Lord.  When I get a tax refund, I pay tithing on the refund because I consider it an increase.  I personally do not consider income tax as part of my increase even though I know I, supposedly, get benefits back from the government.  I feel that was always their money to have and keep because I have no choice in the matter.  That's just me.  I am not trying to advise anyone else.     

Clif

[tragula]

Feel free to answer the following questions:

1. Do you pay your tithing monthly or yearly?

2. Gross or net?

3. Do you have a testimony about tithing?

1.  I pay whenever I get money.

2.  I used to have this argument with my wife all the time.  I would tell her that anything over and above the net was not an "increase," and therefore we should not pay tithing on it.  Nevertheless, she would always pay on the gross.  Since she has passed away, guess what I do.  I pay on the gross.  I think she's still haunting me.  I'm not saying that everyone should pay on the gross, that's just what I do.

3.  I have a testimony that tithing is a commandment from the Lord and that we should pay it regardless of whether or not we get any blessings from it, but personally, I don't think that I know a single member of the Church who does not have room for more blessings.