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| Author |
Message |
| 25 new of 115 responses total. |
keesan
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response 34 of 115:
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Feb 6 02:43 UTC 1999 |
I think Joel's question was why send receipts at all to people were not
planning to itemize deductions. At a recent board meeting (second to last)
someone mentioned that a woman who specialized in giving advice to nonprofits
thought that all nonprofits should send receipts for all donations, and the $75
was a compromise. But since the IRS does not require receipts for under $250,
and since most people do not itemize, I don't see the point. If anyone wants,
I can check with a few nonprofits on their policy. I don't ever recall getting
receipts for amounts under $200 before. The woman in question was used to
advising organizations whose primarly function was to collect donations.
I would be happy to attempt to stop the flood of junk mail to grex, if someone
will give me the list of senders of the junk mail.
(I have been trying for many years to get off a few very stubborn mailing
lists myself, and two of them persist in sending me double copies.)
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mary
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response 35 of 115:
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Feb 6 02:52 UTC 1999 |
We might be an example of why some folks would like receipts for
smaller amounts, like $60. We give to a number of non-profits,
like Kerrytown Concert House. In total, they all add up to
a good chunk of money, and I'd like to be able to have clear
proof of that deduction, even though each one is under the $250
threshold.
Actually, Kerrytown Concert House is a good example of a 501(c)3
which sends a "thank you" receipt with each donation whether it be
a fundraiser where we send $40 or $50 or founder's dues each
spring. I like getting this mail. Makes my heart sing. ;-)
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rcurl
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response 36 of 115:
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Feb 6 05:51 UTC 1999 |
The MKC sends a receipt and thank you letter for any donation - even
for a buck. It is public relations. They do not send receipts for
dues payments, however, except for the initial dues starting a membership
(because a 'membership package' is send anyway).
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pfv
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response 37 of 115:
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Feb 6 05:56 UTC 1999 |
The receipt & a nice "thank you" sound eminently courteous &
certainly more professional..
Keep it up.
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janc
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response 38 of 115:
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Feb 6 15:33 UTC 1999 |
Are MKC memberships considered tax deductable?
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aruba
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response 39 of 115:
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Feb 6 18:36 UTC 1999 |
(Just to clarify: I do send thank you notes by e-mail for every payment we
receive.)
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pfv
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response 40 of 115:
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Feb 6 19:13 UTC 1999 |
re: 39 -
Yeah, I sort of thought that was what I'd read/inferred.
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rcurl
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response 41 of 115:
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Feb 6 20:53 UTC 1999 |
MKC memberships are fully tax deductible. Want to join? 8^}
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mutsie
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response 42 of 115:
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Feb 8 20:46 UTC 1999 |
Regarding resp:8
Whine whine. Bark! Bark! Woof.
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kaplan
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response 43 of 115:
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Feb 8 20:56 UTC 1999 |
Regarding resp:42
I think she means that she doesn't slobber that much. She'd be happy
to help out but she's not sure she understands how to lick the
envelopes without actually chewing on them.
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i
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response 44 of 115:
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Feb 9 01:21 UTC 1999 |
LOL!
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tpryan
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response 45 of 115:
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Feb 11 02:03 UTC 1999 |
As a large donor to the auction can I get a receipt of donation
for the (auction-determined) fair market value of what I donated? I
wonder how many month's rent I raised.
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aruba
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response 46 of 115:
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Feb 11 03:09 UTC 1999 |
The total Grex has received for Tim's donations is $255.00, and another $88.50
is still (hopefully) on its way.
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keesan
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response 47 of 115:
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Feb 11 04:04 UTC 1999 |
I have not the slightest objection to sending paper receipts to anyone who
asks for them (after an emailed offer of a receipt). But even people who
itemize do not need the receipts for amounts under $250. I made a few calls
to other nonprofits.
WUOM has to follow university policy so sends receipts to everyone.
(Whether or not you itemize on federal taxes, you can deduct contributions
to educational inst. or libraries on the state taxes).
Easter Seals sends receipts for donations of $100 or more, and for lesser
amounts on request. They knew of no law requiring them to send receipts.
American Cancer Society sends receipts for all donations, they did not know
why and told me to call National Charities Bureau at 1 800 501 6242. I left
a message.
Mark, were the four people who wanted receipts those who donated over $74?
Or over $249?
I appreciate that some people like finding pieces of paper in their mailbox
even when email would do. But there are also those of us who get upset at
finding unwanted and irrelevant pieces of paper there, so I think it would
be considerate to give people a choice.
Jim said he watched while someone at Bivouac got offended at being asked
whether they wanted a bag for a jackknife purchase. I get offended when they
try to stick a bag around my purcahse without asking my permission first.
The guy at Bivouac told Jim that the customer must have been from Detroit,
where they expect bags instead of being asked first. Mark might stick at the
end of his thank you emails a statement to the effect that paper receipts are
available to anyone who emails back requesting one, but that they are not
being sent out automatically to save resources (paper, postage, time) which
could better be used to support grex's activities. (Jim's suggestion).
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devnull
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response 48 of 115:
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Feb 11 05:43 UTC 1999 |
Re #45, #46: I was under the impression that if you donate to the auction,
you can deduct whatever you think the fair market value is when neither
the seller nor buyer is under any obligation to complete the transation.
But grex essentially has to sell the items, which you might argue will
mean that they may be sold for less than they're worth, and so I believe
you can take a bigger deduction than that.
I think that people who buy from the auction cannot take a deduction
unless they pay more than the fair market price. If they do pay more
than the fair market price, the buyer can deduct the amount beyond the
fair market price, and the donor can deduct the fair market price, and
*the two must agree on what the fair market price is*.
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rcurl
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response 49 of 115:
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Feb 11 06:43 UTC 1999 |
I'd hate to argue that one with the IRS. It should be a pretty obvious
difference between the value of an item and the amount bid. For example,
high bids for Grex memorabilia (e.g, its (dead) first hard drive), would
be deductible in entirety.
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davel
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response 50 of 115:
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Feb 11 11:21 UTC 1999 |
What? What about the thriving market in Grex memorabilia?
8-{)]
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pfv
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response 51 of 115:
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Feb 11 14:37 UTC 1999 |
and, as ever in ANY dealings with Infernal Revenues: you had
BETTER have a receipt, or you can think of yer life as grass - and
them as the rampaging mower.
Seems to me that the automated generation of reciept & love-letter
can easily be arranged to exclude those that are adamant about
NOT wanting to "play well with others"..
Just go the route of having the keesan-types email a request to
be left alone - and the printer never gets their data.
Man.. I can't believe all the noise over such a simple, polite
and sensible systemm sheeeesh.
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aruba
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response 52 of 115:
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Feb 11 14:59 UTC 1999 |
Re #47: The people who donated $75 or more didn't need to ask for receipts,
they got them automatically. So no, the requests did not come from them.
I'd rather not offer to send out paper receipts for every single donation,
but I could offer (with each thank you) to send out a full accounting at
the end of the year.
Sindi, I don't understand why Ms. Dodea at the AAS thought the IRS would
be so unhappy with our just sending e-mail receipts, but she was
*absolutely adamant* about it, and she knows more about the IRS than I do,
so I felt obliged to bow to her advice. Maybe you could ask the Sierra
Club what they do? They ought to have some members who feel as you do.
If you can get us some *highly credible* info on just how the IRS would
feel about us not sending paper receipts unless requested, I'm sure the
board would be willing to reopen the issue.
Re #51: Receipts and thank yous are not generated automatically - I do
each one by hand. I could put a column in my table that would identify
people who don't want to receive receipts, though, and check that before
generating one.
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pfv
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response 53 of 115:
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Feb 11 16:49 UTC 1999 |
Arrrrrgh!
My sympathies... Automate, baby ;-)
Although, personalized notes are a truly nice touch.
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rcurl
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response 54 of 115:
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Feb 11 17:15 UTC 1999 |
Gifts to the Sierra Club are not tax deductible. They lobby too much.
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jep
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response 55 of 115:
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Feb 11 17:48 UTC 1999 |
NEW Center has expertise in non-profit affairs. I believe Ms. Dodea was
described as an accountant, and specifically as not having expertise in
501(c)(3) issues. If there's any doubt about when receipts are
mandatory, why not ask NEW Center?
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aruba
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response 56 of 115:
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Feb 11 21:18 UTC 1999 |
Re #54: Oh. Maybe The Wilderness Conservancy is a better source? Or maybe
you could suggest a big non-profit agency which might have an interest in
not using paper, Rane?
Re #55: Wrong on both counts, I'm afraid. Ms. Dodea is not an accountant, and
her job is to advise 501(c)3 companies on their rights and responsibilities.
Her title is "Director of non-profit services".
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jep
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response 57 of 115:
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Feb 11 21:22 UTC 1999 |
re #56: Oh. I'll just slink back into my corner, then. (-:
Thanks, Mark!
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dang
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response 58 of 115:
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Feb 12 02:56 UTC 1999 |
resp:45 Tim, you are entitled to a receipt stating that you donated to
Cyberspace Communications the items that you donated. Attaching a
market value to them is your job, and we are not allowed to do that.
However, I'm sure Mark would be happy to give you a receipt for the
items. :)
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