[CAUT] [pianotech] Tax help for John

[Susan Kline]

Why should a client be involved at all? It seems like needless 
confusion, with John and his family not knowing why some complete 
stranger, not a technician, in a distant part of the country, is 
giving him money. Are we that tax-phobic? I plan to just write a 
check with "gift" in the bottom "for" line, and send it to his home address.

I don't know John's health insurance situation. It certainly makes 
someone uninsured (like me) think about things. 2 years to go before 
Medicare age. I hope he has some coverage.

Susan Kline

At 05:58 PM 5/3/2009, you wrote:
>Gifts are not taxable. If you have the person who is writing the 
>check, specify it is a gift, then there should be no taxes. However, 
>it should be mentioned, before the tuning, that the tuning comes 
>with a suggested donation amount. Your name is not to be involved as 
>this is a direct gift from them to john. Then when they write the 
>check to John, you have an addresed, stamped envelope for them to 
>put the check in and of course you mail it for them.
>
>Be sure to mention that the suggested donation is just that, 
>suggested. The amount can be more than suggested.... So do this with 
>your more well to-do clients. If they are in a good mood, it could 
>pay dividends.
>
>Of course the client can always refuse but I'm sure there will be 
>one that will.
>
>Keith Roberts