General Discussion

A Little Weird

(1,754 posts)

30. I think it would be a mistake to remove tax exempt status from most non-profits

Sun May 19, 2013, 12:46 PM

May 2013

There are a lot of worthy causes out there - arts, homeless shelters, land trusts, scholarship funds, soup kitchens, medical research, environmental causes, animal welfare, literacy, medical outreach, etc. I think many of their donations would dry up if there was no tax benefit to donating - sad but true.

I do think that any organization that supports any political group should have to pay taxes. I also think that most churches are run like businesses more than non-profits and they should have to pay taxes. I agree that it's sometimes a fuzzy line and I don't know how to fix that, but I think it would do more harm than good to remove the tax exempt status of all organizations.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

41 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Should ANY entity, organization, group...whatever... be tax exempt? If yes, what is the qualifier? [View all] CurtEastPoint May 2013 OP

As soon as politics crosses your lips, you pay taxes NightWatcher May 2013 #1

A lot. That's how much money we'd bring in if we taxed the churches. SheilaT May 2013 #2

I don't Niceguy1 May 2013 #34

No entity should be tax free. Why should they? Never quite understood that. graham4anything May 2013 #3

So tax them at a corporate rate? Bay Boy May 2013 #6

reply #9. and why should the NRA be tax free? graham4anything May 2013 #11

Should a soup kitchen be tax free? Bay Boy May 2013 #15

profits are taxed...where is there profit in soup kitchens? graham4anything May 2013 #17

So as long as they spend everything they take in... Bay Boy May 2013 #18

no. graham4anything May 2013 #19

that response isn't helpful Bay Boy May 2013 #20

well, that's typically regressive cali May 2013 #37

So if NARAL receives a donation should they be taxed on it as income? dkf May 2013 #4

^^ this ^^ oldhippie May 2013 #5

That's the kind of question we would have to answer if we chose to LuvNewcastle May 2013 #7

And allow them to deduct their expenses, just like any other business BlueStreak May 2013 #9

Sounds good to me. LuvNewcastle May 2013 #10

Essentially what they do.. pipoman May 2013 #13

Yep. Also, taxes aren't a bad thing Chathamization May 2013 #24

Not at all. BlueStreak May 2013 #28

The issue is whether DONATIONS are tax-deductible BlueStreak May 2013 #8

yep.. pipoman May 2013 #14

what IS their fair share though? hfojvt May 2013 #12

I think 50.1% or more of your outlays should have to go to people under the poverty line. stevenleser May 2013 #16

It is hard to generalize like that. BlueStreak May 2013 #21

Well, then, what about an animal shelter? YarnAddict May 2013 #22

I'll buy tax free for helping animals too. Good point. nt stevenleser May 2013 #23

So groups that raise money for research wouldn't be exempt? hughee99 May 2013 #29

OK, another one of you got me. That should be exempt too. nt stevenleser May 2013 #40

I'm starting to think no. ananda May 2013 #25

The poor and entities that belong to the public. bemildred May 2013 #26

I couldn't agree more. 99Forever May 2013 #27

I think it would be a mistake to remove tax exempt status from most non-profits A Little Weird May 2013 #30

yes. many organizations should be tax exempt cali May 2013 #31

seperation of church and state: no taxation without representation bananas May 2013 #32

so glsen a group that does work to end bullying of gays in highschool should pay tax? La Lioness Priyanka May 2013 #33

Tax exempt supports organizations doing something to help the citizens. davsand May 2013 #35

churches typically can support issues (like marriage equality or inequality) La Lioness Priyanka May 2013 #36

How about inviting them to speak in church? davsand May 2013 #39

In my opinion no. nt Demo_Chris May 2013 #38

Religious institutions. 1-Old-Man May 2013 #41