[CAUT] [pianotech] Tax help for John

[Jim Busby]

Yes Susan! I agree. Just write the check.

I give more than 1/10th of my income to "charity" every year, (NOT bragging, it's just what I do) and while this is my personal belief to do this, I must say that I NEVER miss it! Some things we should just do because it's right. If a waitress is good, I tip big. I buy girl scout cookies just to see the smile on their faces. So what if I spend 2 or $300.00 more a year than I could have hoarded, I feel good when I help, or aid in someone's cause. You may not be able to "buy happiness", but my heart sure feels good when I just shut up and do it. Not that I'm a regular "Mother Teresa", but if I can do something, I will! All this whining of taxes and what to do nauseates me. 

Flamesuit on...

Jim Busby
Poor, but happy



-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kline
Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 4:48 PM
To: keithspiano at gmail.com; caut at ptg.org
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