Should University Donations Trigger Tax Breaks for the Wealthy?
Universities big and small receive donations from many different sources, including wealthy alumni. However, not all donations are created equal and because the wealthy donors get a huge tax break for their significant donations, some wonder if that is really fair.
For example, Nike co-founder, Phil Knight, recently donated $400 million to Stanford, where he attended business school. That donation will give Knight a $158 million tax break. Some find that in of itself unfair, but others question why some schools, which already have deep pockets anyway, get such large sums of money without being taxed for it? Plus, the majority of the donations are given to these top schools, while other less prestigious universities are often left scrambling for much-needed resources.
However, on the flip side, many donors would argue that they make these donations for true philanthropic purposes and not for the added benefit of a large tax break. Some counter-argue that all the donation money could be used for better purposes. However, there’s no question that the nation’s top universities help the country in many industries, as well as give the economy a boost in many forms as well, including training thousands of the brightest minds.
Of course, it’s an argument that has no easy answer, but probably one that won’t get much traction, because wealthy alumni have always been able to donate their money to the universities or causes they choose. That is not likely to change any time soon.
Which Tax Breaks Will Be Restored for 2014?
It seems like every year at this time the conversations start to creep up in the media regarding which tax breaks will be renewed and which breaks will get the permanent axe. This year is no different as Congress already let more than 50 such tax breaks expire at the end of 2013. Now the…
Helpful Deduction Tips for Collectors
Are you a collector? Have you ever wondered if you could donate the items you collect to a charity auction for tax break purposes? If you are considering this scenario, there are some things you should know. The first thing you need to make sure of is that the charity you are considering is actually…
Ask Yourself These Key Questions When Planning Your Estate
Almost no one can choose when he or she will die, but everyone can choose how his or her assets will be handled when that time comes. It’s really just a matter of having a current and effective estate plan in place before you go. Estate planning is a wide subject with many aspects; and…
Another Senator Says It’s Time to Go After the Wealthy
Another Senator Says It’s Time to Go After the Wealthy We all know that death and taxes are two certainties in life. However it seems that we should probably add the argument that the wealthy should pay more taxes to that list of certainties. According to reports, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont recently shared his…