Church payroll vs GA stipend

[2bizE]

A few years ago, long time First Presidency secretary Brook P. Hales was called at the age of 62 to be a General Authority Seventy. As a secretary he would have been a paid employee of the church. After becoming a GA70, I assume he continued to receive funding.
Is this a common thing? Does the church benefit from stopping paying a person as an employee and instead give them a stipend?

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/lea ... s?lang=eng

[Red Ryder]

I’m not a Tax accountant but I think it would benefit both parties to put him on a stipend since he would no longer be considered a W-2 employee. It would save him from payroll tax withholdings as well as the church laying the employer portion. Although, considering the non-profit status of the church, a stipend wouldn’t matter to the church since they are tax exempt.

So yes, it’s probably a common thing.

[Conman52]

You gotta just Love the unpaid clergy !!