Truth for Life FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Solon, OH501(c)(3)Since 1994ReligionEIN 34-1787585Revenue $20.8M in FY2021

On file with the IRStruthforlife.orgPo Box 398000, 44139-9000 · Solon, OHTax-exempt since Jul 1995Church — 170(b)(1)(A)(i)

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To teach the bible with clarity and relevance through the sermons of alistair begg.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$844K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2023
latest Form 990
Fine: the latest return is for FY2023, 3 tax years back; within 3 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.9M a year · 19% of revenue · last 4 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 4 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$844K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $23K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.3M
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$20.8M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$15.4M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$27.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2023
Revenue
$20.8M
FY2021▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$17.9M
FY2021$20.8M
FY2022$19.7M
FY2023$24.0M
Expenses
$15.4M
FY2021▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.0M
FY2021$15.4M
FY2022$16.4M
FY2023$21.1M
Net assets
$27.2M
FY2021▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$21.9M
FY2021$27.2M
FY2022$30.1M
FY2023$33.4M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2023) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2023. IRS ruling in Jul 1995.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $13.0M Management & general 10% · $1.6M Fundraising 5% · $837K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

12 people listed on the 990; $844K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$326,896Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$185,400Pt VII · Sec A
$114,000Pt VII · Sec A
Digital Manager
$111,000Pt VII · Sec A
Operations Manager
$107,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Alistair Begg’s $350K as President/CEO is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 224 $10–100M religion nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Alistair Begg$349,895$349,895$326,896$326,896
Robert Butts$210,000$200,000$185,400$185,400
Michael Costlow$120,000$113,000$107,000$102,937
Jonathan Linczak——$114,000$109,783
John Schwartz——$111,000$106,783
Rick Lane$105,000———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches the Bible clearly and relevantly through Alistair Begg's sermons.

Questions for Truth for Life

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $13.0M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Truth for life, the bible-teaching ministry of alistair begg, produces and distributes a daily bible-teaching program to listeners in all major radio markets across the U.S. Through approximately 1,900 radio outlets. Listeners in the U.S.

$13.0Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$23K
Grants paid · 3 grants · $4.0M · 2022–2023
SignatryKS · FY2023$4,000,000

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$20.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$20.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$157K
Money outPt IX
$15.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.0M
Managementcol C$1.6M
Fundraisingcol D$837K
Owns and owesPt X
$27.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.9M
Total assetsLn 16$28.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$20.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$288K
Investment incomeLn 3$157K
Gains on assetsLn 7$134K
Total revenueLn 12$20.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.5M
SavingsLn 2$379K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$14.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16$28.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$27.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 532
VolunteersI 642
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.6M$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.5M$14.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.9M$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16$22.7M$28.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$821K$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$21.9M$27.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$570K$427K$115K$28K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$1.8M$1.3M$353K$88K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$715K$523K$156K$35K
Payroll taxesLn 10$149K$112K$30K$7K
Legal feesLn 11b$25K$25K
Accounting feesLn 11c$18K$18K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$53K$53K
Information technologyLn 14$574K$430K$115K$29K
OccupancyLn 16$181K$136K$36K$9K
TravelLn 17$93$93
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$52K$7K$45K
InterestLn 20$2K$2K$407$102
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$624K$468K$125K$31K
InsuranceLn 23$37K$27K$7K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$10.2M$9.1M$486K$607K
All other expensesLn 24e$434K$431K$3K$429
Total functional expensesLn 25$15.4M$13.0M$1.6M$837K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2023 Latest $24.0M$21.1M$2.8M$33.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $19.7M$16.4M$3.4M$30.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $20.8M$15.4M$5.5M$27.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $17.9M$14.0M$3.9M$21.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $20,814,256 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $17,825,944$20,682,426
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $47,874$157,019
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $44,051−$25,189
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $17,917,869$20,814,256
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,984,781$3,199,034
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $11,048,635$12,162,519
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,033,416$15,361,553
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,884,453$5,452,703
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $20,814,256 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$25,189 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$20,682,426
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$287,503
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$20,682,426
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $22,628$22,628
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $649 · Unrelated business $133,742$134,391
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$24,540 · Unrelated business $133,742 · Excluded from tax $22,628$20,814,256
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $15,361,553 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $426,794 · Management $115,182 · Fundraising $28,453$570,429
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $1,323,463 · Management $352,923 · Fundraising $88,231$1,764,617
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $523,444 · Management $156,434 · Fundraising $34,896$714,774
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $111,910 · Management $29,843 · Fundraising $7,461$149,214
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $25,303$25,303
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $17,641$17,641
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $3,959$3,959
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $52,608$52,608
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $430,479 · Management $114,794 · Fundraising $28,699$573,972
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $136,058 · Management $36,282 · Fundraising $9,070$181,410
IX-17 TravelManagement $93$93
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $6,604 · Management $45,280$51,884
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,528 · Management $407 · Fundraising $102$2,037
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $467,795 · Management $124,745 · Fundraising $31,186$623,726
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $27,423 · Management $7,313 · Fundraising $1,828$36,564
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,066,864 · Management $485,958 · Fundraising $606,539$10,159,361
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $430,907 · Management $2,625 · Fundraising $429$433,961
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,953,269 · Management $1,571,390 · Fundraising $836,894$15,361,553
Part X · Balance sheet $28,565,821 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,281,408$2,477,132
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $340,481$378,635
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $47$19,963
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $330,961$335,340
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $340,919$400,383
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,909,433$10,619,628
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $7,531,811$14,334,740
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $22,735,060$28,565,821
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $751,151$1,283,342
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $69,942$56,692
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $821,093$1,340,034
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $21,863,967$27,225,787
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $50,000$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $21,913,967$27,225,787
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $22,735,060$28,565,821
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $27,225,787 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$20,814,256
XI-2 Total expenses$15,361,553
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,452,703
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$21,913,967
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$140,883
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$27,225,787

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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