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Dante
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Dante
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 Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:56 pm |
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| Tom wrote: | | I just don't understand how going on a hike would support an "organization" and thus qualify as a tax deductible expense? Let's assume I'm the IRS auditing you. Explain to me why I should let you deduct your trail park pass, food, gas, etc. for any of your hikes. |
IMO just going on a hike would NOT be enough (well maaayybe if you were really volunteering to find where trail maintainance is required for WTA). You would have to be fulfilling a tax exempt purpose. For example, if you were leading a tour for a 501(c)(3) with an educational purpose, then IMO that would qualify. If you were doing trail maintainance, then that would qualify. If cataloging peaks and lakes is a legitimate educational or scientific purpose and you were really doing that then IMO that would qualify.
This board might meet the educational purpose already. Lord knows I learn a lot from it. If so, that might cover your expenses and Mike's, but as I said the administrative costs of creating and maintaining a 501(c)(3) would probably be greater than the tax effect of your deductions.
IMO www.nwhikers.org would need a real exempt purpose and anyone taking a deduction would really have to be volunteering to fulfil that purpose in order to take a deduction without "crossing the line."
As a practical matter, if you get audited and the IRS determines certain expenses are not deductible, then they will just adjust your return and ask you to pay the additional tax and possibly penalties. IRS prosecutions have been plummeting since 1987 LINK
DISCLAIMER: The foregoing is intended for conversational purposes only. The author has not been paid for and does not intend it as professional advice...
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Dante
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Dante
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Wed Jul 30, 2003 4:15 pm |
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Location: putting on my Nikes before the comet comes |
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
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Wed Jul 30, 2003 5:37 pm |
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Dudes, go do some real volunteer work and stop trying to get out of paying taxes!
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Location: putting on my Nikes before the comet comes |
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
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Wed Jul 30, 2003 6:00 pm |
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| Quark wrote: | | It doesn't have to be a (c)3 designation if all Tom needs are funds to keep the site running. Not all non-profits are charities that need to provide anything to the public. Homeowner's associations, the arts, sailing clubs, car clubs, etc. are all not-for-profits without the 501(c)3 designation. |
You sure the arts provide nothing to the public!? Pfft! Typical American! I pee on you from great heights!
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
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Stefan
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Stefan
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Thu Jul 31, 2003 9:39 am |
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QUARK!!
Do you and Tom get together to balance check books and talk about the tax code?
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Dante
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Dante
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Thu Jul 31, 2003 10:51 am |
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For the record, I pay loads of taxes (I should probably try even harder to find and record additional deductions), give a lot to charity and volunteer time I don't have AND I bought the Makah pass. (I might even throw in the towl on the NW Forest pass, too, since Congress is just going to keep extending it.) The idea of wasting the Makah pass's remaining useful life is what prompted me to start the PassAround post--not the desire to save a buck. The Makah made it an annual permit and made if easily transferrable. If an organization chooses to issue long-term transferable passes and permits, I don't see anything wrong with sharing them. Not sharing them would be a waste IMO. If that hurts the organization's revenues, then it should issue passes or permits to an individual person (name) or vehicle (license palte number). If that makes me cheap, so be it...
Anyway, I already plead insanity here  I was hot, bored and would rather have been hiking than "working". I also work in the tax compliance industry, so I often fall into "gaming" the system based on theory (although nonprofits are outside my area of expertise). In this case, I don't think it would have worked in practice, because we don't really have any charitable purpose and no one is really volunteering.
As to taxpayer support of the arts--that would be a great subject for another saloon thread, since we're tackling controversial topics this week.
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polarbear
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Location: putting on my Nikes before the comet comes |
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Allison
Feckless Swooner
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Thu Jul 31, 2003 8:31 pm |
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| DJ wrote: | | As to taxpayer support of the arts--that would be a great subject for another saloon thread, since we're tackling controversial topics this week. |
On a Federal level, there essentially is no more funding for the arts. We have the distinction, I think, of being the only developed country in the world that lacks any sort of significant arts endowment.
Fact is, there are two things that mark history for a culture. One is politics and war, and the other is the art.
Right now we are spending a billion a week on number one, and in 2002 the NEA gave out 26 million dollars in grants.
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
www.allisonoutside.com
follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
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Sore Feet
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Out There, Somewhere |
| Stefan wrote: | | QUARK!!
Do you and Tom get together to balance check books and talk about the tax code? |
Hehe. I can totally see Tom doing that.  
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Quarkk
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Quarkk
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Fri Aug 01, 2003 5:34 pm |
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| Stefan wrote: | | QUARK!!
Do you and Tom get together to balance check books and talk about the tax code? |
Oh, baby....the heck with French...talk tax code to me and I'm putty in the hand.
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