i was listening to someone the other day describe how being part of a non-profit organisation would guarantee them tax benefits and it made me both sad and angry.
kind of like i feel about ‘Worship Song of the Year’ awards and sports stars [and others] who are paid ridiculous amounts of money…
don’t get me wrong [well maybe do a little bit cos it makes for a more interesting comment section below] i am not saying that i have a problem with the fact that in many countries you get some sort of tax break when you give money to charities and non-profits and maybe even religious institutions still… my problem lies in using ‘tax benefits’ as the main, or even a major, pull in trying to get you to give.
because, if you are giving to something because of the money you get back, you are not really giving. not if that’s your motivation. then you are just using the organisation.
whereas if you give to a thing you have decided to give to and then at the end of the year the government gives you some money back then whoohoo, bonus… if the amount of money you gave to the charity/non-profit was the amount you had chosen to give them, then you should give them the tax back money as well, right?
give to the thing because you think the thing is worth giving to. don’t miss out if there are benefits to be had [and as mentioned maybe add that to give extra to the thing] but let your motivation be that you really believe in the work that you are supporting.
[or better yet, become a part of Common Change and collaborate with a group of people to give towards people you already know who are in need and so add relationship to the whole aspect of giving – let’s make giving personal!]
i would love to get some discussion going on this, and try not trip over the fact that i still think it’s a travesty that this club paid 40 million pounds to that club to get that football player.
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Irresistibly Fish 
In the UK you are able to sign some form or other and then the charity/church/whatever can claim the tax that you would have got back on your donation directly from the government – I think this is a great idea…
now THAT i do like.
I have never understood this motivation for giving. To me it just seems like a really bad financial decision to give away a lot of money and then get a little money back a year later so don’t understand how this can be used as a motivation to give.
In South Africa we use a sliding tax scale so you can’t end up in a situation where you give away money, drop to a lower tax bracket, pay less tax and end up with more money than if you had not given any money away in the first place. I assume this is the case in most countries but if not in your country then my above point is invalid.
i think it’s that in the US giving to non-profits is tax deductible and so it makes sense that when you give to non-profits you claim it as such and get money back or don’t have to pay tax on it – my point is that i don’t like it when that point becomes the front and centre from the non-profits point of view of why you should give to us… you should give to us because we’re a really good thing [oh and bonus you get some money back/save some money]
Ok. That makes sense.