Background

In the United States, clergy can elect to opt out of Social Security. Some clergy make the decision to opt out during the early stages of their careers, only to realize that their decision jeopardizes access to one leg of the “three-legged” retirement stool, which is typically regarded to include Social Security, employer-sponsored benefits, and personal savings.

To help clergy who wish to opt back into Social Security, Congress passed laws to open temporary Social Security opt-in windows for clergy in 1977, 1986, and 1999. With the introduction of the Clergy Act, Representatives Vince Fong (R-CA-20) and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) and Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have proposed that Congress do so again. In the case of clergy who might decide to opt back into Social Security following the passage of this bill, they would resume making contributions to Social Security and be eligible to receive a proportional amount of Social Security benefits once they retire.

In addition to giving clergy the opportunity to opt back into Social Security, Congressional Budget Office estimates suggest that the Clergy Act would raise federal government revenues. More than a dozen lawmakers have signed on to co-sponsor the bill since its introduction in January of 2025.