Minister Debt Relief

Supporting ministers' financial well-being

For Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers, personal matters, such as financial planning, often take a back seat to serving their congregations. As a result, many ministers struggle with financial debt. With these concerns weighing on them, they cannot bring their best gifts to ministry.

The more financially responsible we are, the greater our well-being. To help alleviate financial burden and support the wholeness of PC(USA) ministers, the Board of Pensions provides Minister Debt Relief, which addresses minister debt for enrollees in Pastor’s Participation and Minister’s Choice.

Amount

A one-time grant of up to $10,000 is available.

Note: A minister cannot receive more than $25,000 in combined awards from Healthy Pastors, Healthy Congregations; Minister Educational Debt Assistance; and Minister Debt Relief.

Eligibility

To qualify, you must

• be enrolled in Pastor's Participation or Minister's Choice*;
• have an effective salary below $80,000, excluding manse value;
• have a total household adjusted gross income of less than $129,600 in 2023;
• have net assets below $125,000 (excluding primary residence and car);
• have completed the Personal Financial Planning Series and Terms of Call Series online education learning paths, available through Board University via Benefits Connect.

Once accepted into the program, you will be connected with Ernst & Young Employee Financial Services for individual debt-specific financial planning, at no cost to you.

*Ministers currently enrolled in Minister Educational Debt Assistance are eligible for this program. Previous Healthy Pastors, Healthy Congregations grant recipients are not eligible for this program at this time.

How to apply

• Complete the Minister Debt Relief Application.
• Email the application and required documentation to memberservices@pensions.org for review and decision.