Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT & Combined Federal Campaign

["Tom Busch" <tomb@xxxxxxxx>]

BUT

If you receive something of value for your donation, you must subtract the
value of that item from the amount you deduct.

They thought of this already.

TomB

----- Original Message -----
From: Jon Ogden <na9d@speakeasy.net>
To: John Hansen <hansen@fredonia.edu>; <amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org>
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 7:42 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT & Combined Federal Campaign


> on 11/29/01 4:14 PM, John Hansen at hansen@fredonia.edu wrote:
>
> >> Rather than SELL things, we have decided to SUGGEST levels of DONATION
> >> associated with obtaining various items.  Using this process, money
> >> received by AMSAT is a free will donation and is, therefor, not subject
to
> >> sales tax.  You may contribute what we suggest or as much as you want
and
> >> it's USA tax deductible, if you deduct contributions.
> >
> > I'm not a lawyer, but I can't believe that this subterfuge would ever
pass
> > muster in a court.  If you receive something of value at the same time
you
> > make a donation, the only portion of the donation that will be
deductible
> > is the part in excess of the actual market value of what you received.
Any
> > attorney's here care to comment?
>
> Ah but there's a key here (actually a couple):
>
> 1.) Sometimes AMSAT sells items that were donated to them as a
"fundraiser"
> 2.) The concept of "donation" does hold firm because the item received is
> considered a "premium" in exchange for donating.  The price is not at all
> fixed (legally IMHO, if you offer Amsat a $40 donation for a $60 antenna,
> they must take it - but you'll be considered a scab by most people for
doing
> so).  It is very similar to the concept of PBS offering items in return
for
> donating something.  I am sure that many Amsat members give more than
would
> be required to purchase something outright.
>
> I think it passes muster.
>
> 73,
>
> Jon
> NA9D
>
> -------------------------------------
> Jon Ogden
> NA9D (ex: KE9NA)
>
> Member:  ARRL, AMSAT, DXCC, NRA
>
> http://www.qsl.net/ke9na
>
> "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
>
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