An alternative to MyHousingAllowance for the year-end worksheet
MyHousingAllowance tracks housing costs through the year for $5/month or $50/year after a 30-day trial. If you already have the costs in a bank export, Glebetally works out the year in one sitting.
| Glebetally | MyHousingAllowance | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In your browser tab. No install, no account. Your costs are never uploaded. | Web app with an account |
| Price | Free: the exclusion, Worksheets 1–3, SE tax and every check. Pro: $19 for 7 days, $9/month or $49/year. | 30-day free trial, then $5/month or $50/year |
| What it does | Works out the 2026 housing allowance exclusion, the excess allowance and Schedule SE earnings by IRS Pub. 517 from a file of housing costs or typed totals. Doesn't track receipts year-round or file returns. | Year-round housing expense tracking with a year-end report for your CPA |
Honest take: MyHousingAllowance is cheaper by the month and built for logging costs as you go. Glebetally is for the minister who has a bank or card export at year end and wants Pub. 517's worksheets, SE tax and next year's designation figure without making an account.
Competitor details checked on 2026-10-28 from their public pages: MyHousingAllowance. Prices change — check their site for the current offer. Product names are trademarks of their owners; we are not affiliated with them.
FAQ
Does Glebetally file my return?
No. It gives you the worksheet figures; you or your tax preparer enter them on your return.
What does Glebetally do?
It reads your 2026 housing costs and works out IRS Publication 517 Worksheets 1–3: how much of your housing allowance (or parsonage value) is excluded from income tax, the excess allowance to report on Form 1040 line 1h, the nondeductible share of Schedule C expenses, and your net earnings and tax for Schedule SE. It doesn't file anything.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Your file is read by JavaScript in your browser tab and never sent to us or anyone else. Costs aren't stored, so closing the tab clears them. Settings can be saved in this browser.
How much of my housing allowance is tax-free?
If you own or rent, the smallest of: the amount your church designated in advance, the amount you actually spent to provide a home, and the home's fair rental value furnished plus utilities (Pub. 517). For a parsonage, its fair rental value plus any utility allowance up to actual utility costs.
Is the housing allowance subject to self-employment tax?
Yes, unless you have an approved Form 4361 exemption. The whole allowance, or the parsonage's fair rental value plus any utility allowance, is added to your net earnings for Schedule SE (Pub. 517 Worksheet 3).
When must the allowance be designated?
In advance of payment, by an official action of the church — usually at the December meeting for the next year. Glebetally's cost pace helps pick the amount; Pro drafts the resolution text.
Which files can I use?
CSV, tab-separated or Excel with a date and an amount on each row; a description and category are optional and help sort the rows. Or skip the file and type your totals.
What's free?
Importing any number of rows, the exclusion, the excess allowance, Worksheets 1–3, SE tax and every check, plus three categories of the cost breakdown on screen and in print (with a footer). Pro shows and prints every category without the footer and exports the Excel workbook, the costs CSV and the 2027 designation draft.
What isn't covered?
State rules, Schedule A itemized deductions, retirement-plan housing distributions, ministers who are also church employees under FICA, dual-status aliens, and the reasonable-compensation test. Internet, cable and phone are left out because Pub. 517 doesn't list them — add them yourself if your adviser says they count.
Is this tax advice?
No. Glebetally applies IRS Publication 517 Worksheets 1–3 to the data you provide. Ask your tax adviser what applies to you.