[Foundation-l] Priorities

[Ray Saintonge]

Anthony wrote:
> On 10/23/07, Brian McNeil <brian.mcneil at wikinewsie.org> wrote:
>   
>> Florence Devouard wrote:
>>     
>>> * the tax deduction is only available in the USA. Not anywhere else.
>>>       
>> I put my donation last year through my accountants as tax deductible, and
>> I'm in Belgium. What happened
> I'm pretty sure Florence was wrong here.
>
> "The Wikimedia Foundation has 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in the
> United States. Donations made from other nations may also be tax
> deductible. See deductibility of donations for details."
> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/About_Wikimedia#Where_does_the_money_come_from.3F
> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Deductibility_of_donations
>   
At one level she is right, but it would be irresponsible for her to 
suggest anything else.  It would be better to say that we have only 
reviewed tax deductibility in terms of the Internal Revenue Code of the 
United States, or to say "on United States tax returns" instead of "in 
the USA".  Such detailed  distinctions, however, are likely to go over 
the heads of all except those who have had an excessive intimacy with 
tax law.

Deductibility in other countries is a function of the tax laws there. 
and some may still allow these deductions.
> Additionally, the tax deduction in the United States is only available
> to less than one third of taxpayers.  If you take the standard
> deduction, you don't get a tax break for donations.
Shhh!  Don't tell that to the starving students who may want to donate. :-)

Ec