[CAUT] [pianotech] Tax help for John

[Dorothy Bell]

Thank you, Susan. It sounds to me as if this turn of the topic has to do
with us, the donors, trying not to pay taxes on the donated amount, rather
than anything to do with John. John (or anyone) can receive more than $10k
from a single individual as a gift without any tax consequences, I
understand on the basis of some recent events in my family. If I want to
give someone some money, I earn some money, I pay taxes on it, and I give
whatever portion of the net I choose to my friend. I don't get why the home
office or a customer or anyone else would be involved. Not every good deed
in life is tax-deductible, that's all there is to it.

Best wishes,
Dorrie Bell
Boston, MA


> [Original Message]
> From: Susan Kline <skline at peak.org>
> To: <keithspiano at gmail.com>; <caut at ptg.org>
> Date: 5/4/2009 7:48:09 PM
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] [pianotech] Tax help for John
>
> 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
>