<br>Unfortunately the money you pay to the YMCA for membership and subsequent access to the facilities isn't tax deductible. But because the institution is a charity, any donations to them that are not tied to your membership (maintaining the facilities) would be tax deductible.<br>
<br>In hackerspace terms, if you were a 501c3 and charged membership dues, the dues would not be deductible.<br>But any donation to upgrade the facility would be eligible as a tax deduction.<br><br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 12:10 PM, Lokkju Brennr <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lokkju@gmail.com" target="_blank">lokkju@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">My understanding is that phrase has a some very specific meanings.<br>
Otherwise, it seems overly broad... just as an example, if I expect<br>
to ever use the swimming pool at a YMCA, does that mean I can make a<br>
(tax-deductible) contribution towards pool repair?<br>
<br>
Loki<br>
<div><div></div><div><br>
On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 10:02 AM, Jeff Cotten <<a href="mailto:omegix@gmail.com" target="_blank">omegix@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> MrFranceIsBacon found this on page 6 of the same IRS document<br>
> <a href="http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf</a><br>
><br>
> "Contributions you cannot Deduct<br>
> [...]<br>
> 3. The part of a contribution from which you receive or expect to receive a<br>
> benefit"<br>
><br>
> It sounds like that prevents the landlord from donating the amount you'll be<br>
> paying to him.<br>
><br>
> Omegix<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 10:52 AM, Lokkju Brennr <<a href="mailto:lokkju@gmail.com" target="_blank">lokkju@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> Right - but your landlord can legally make a cash donation to the<br>
>> charity for the rent amount each month, that you pay back to them as<br>
>> rent, as long as money actually changes hands, correct? i.e., they<br>
>> write you a check for tax-deductible contribution of $1000, you write<br>
>> them a check for rent of $1000, etc - or is your landlord prevented<br>
>> from making tax-deductible contributions?<br>
>><br>
>> Loki<br>
>><br>
>> On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 8:39 AM, Jeff Cotten <<a href="mailto:omegix@gmail.com" target="_blank">omegix@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> > Synopsis: Rent is not a tax-deductible benefit when donated to a 501c3<br>
>> > charity.<br>
>> ><br>
>> > Thank you to MrFranceIsBacon from Makers Local 256 who brought this to<br>
>> > our<br>
>> > attention.<br>
>> > One of the ideas that Makers Local (Huntsville, AL) had when we started<br>
>> > was<br>
>> > to attain 501c3 charity status,<br>
>> > and then convince local building owners to let us set up there<br>
>> > rent-free,<br>
>> > while they wrote the Fair Market Value (FMV) off<br>
>> > as a charitable donation on their taxes.<br>
>> ><br>
>> > There are tax laws preventing this, it is considered Partial Interest in<br>
>> > Property.<br>
>> ><br>
>> > Ref: Page 9, Example 1: <a href="http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf</a><br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> > I've added an entry on the wiki about this here:<br>
>> > <a href="http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Finances#Tax_Laws" target="_blank">http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Finances#Tax_Laws</a><br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> > Omegix<br>
>> > Makers Local 256<br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> > _______________________________________________<br>
>> > Finance mailing list<br>
>> > <a href="mailto:Finance@lists.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">Finance@lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
>> > <a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/finance" target="_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/finance</a><br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
><br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> Finance mailing list<br>
> <a href="mailto:Finance@lists.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">Finance@lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
> <a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/finance" target="_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/finance</a><br>
><br>
><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>