Pastors' parsonage exemption: What would televangelists pay if their mansions weren’t tax exempt?
Kenneth Copeland
The famous word of faith preacher Kenneth Copeland lives in a parsonage located on prime lakefront real estate north of Fort Worth, Texas. The mansion is 18,279 square feet. When compared to other luxury homes in Tarrant County, the parsonage appears to be appraised below market value.
After Tarrant County appraised the parsonage property at $10,825,462 in 2020, Copeland’s church challenged the appraisal even though the property was tax exempt.
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The following year Tarrant County dropped its appraisal valuation by almost $5 million. The property-tax exempt parsonage was appraised at $6,016,739 in 2023.
Tarrant County property tax calculator estimates the property tax would be $106,801.34 based on the 2023 appraisal and $192,159.52 on the 2020 appraisal.
The Texas tax code restricts parsonages to one acre of land. Therefore, the adjacent plot of land owned by Copeland’s Eagle Mountain International Church doesn’t receive a parsonage exemption. Instead, the 35.6 acres of property receives an agricultural exemption. For 2023, Copeland’s church owes $37.89 in property tax for the 35.6 acres of land.
