US EditionPope Leo XIV is the head of the Catholic Church but he may still need to file US taxes
- In May 2025, Robert Prevost from the Chicago area was elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
- His American citizenship creates a unique tax situation because U.S. Law requires all citizens to file income tax returns regardless of residence, which is unprecedented for a pope.
- Tax experts note that while Pope Leo XIV receives a monthly stipend and benefits from the Vatican covering housing and healthcare, these create complex valuation issues for U.S. Tax reporting.
- Jared Walczak of the Tax Foundation described the American pope's accounting as "uncharted," and the IRS allows clerics special exemptions for employer-provided housing that likely apply to Leo XIV.
- The pope may keep his U.S. Citizenship if the State Department permits, meaning he must continue filing taxes, but this remains uncertain due to complex international law and potential congressional actions.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Pope Leo XIV’s American Citizenship: Can He Keep It As Pope?
Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to the College of Cardinals in Rome, Saturday, May 10, 2025 The U.S. State Department says it generally presumes that U.S. citizens, even if they accept a foreign government post, want to keep their citizenship unless 'clearly and credibly' established otherwise.
Pope Leo XIV answers to a higher power – the IRS
The first American pope in history, Leo XIV, faces an unusual administrative challenge alongside his spiritual duties – filing taxes with the Internal Revenue Service. The Washington Post reports that despite his elevation to spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and head of the Vatican city-state, Pope Leo XIV – born as Robert Prevost in the Chicago area – remains obligated under US law to file annual tax returns as an American citizen living…
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
Pope Leo XIV is the head of the Catholic Church but he may still need to file US taxes
Pope Leo XIV made history last week as the first American elected to lead the Catholic Church. While he now presides over a flock of 1.4 billion people worldwide from within Vatican City, there’s one worldly responsibility he may not be able to escape: Uncle Sam. Does Pope Leo XIV have to pay U.S. taxes? There is no public indication that Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, Illinois, has renounced his U.S. citizenship. That means he is still su…
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