Technical topics regarding tax preparation.
Abuse of charities for tax purposes by big business
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19-Aug-2019 10:30am

What is the provision in the tax code that allows companies to "deduct up to twice the cost of donated goods"?

Why America’s biggest charities are owned by pharmaceutical companies

"Using co-pay charities to support high prices is good for business, but charitable contributions foster healthy profits in another way, too: they are tax-deductible. [...] in America the system is more generous, says Jason Factor, a tax lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton. Companies that give products for the benefit of the “needy or ill” can deduct up to twice the cost of donated goods. How convenient!"

Bill Takes Aim, Again, at California’s Kidney Dialysis Industry

"Assemblyman Jim Wood [...] accuses dialysis companies of indirectly subsidizing private insurance premiums for these patients via donations to the nonprofit American Kidney Fund (AKF)."

Banks and brokerages abuse the system, too, not just the health care industry.

Why money meant for charities isn’t getting to them -- Roughly $100 billion that’s supposed to go to charities sits fallow in tax-avoidant accounts

"In 2016, the single biggest recipient in the United States of “charitable” giving was Fidelity’s DAF business. In 2017, six out of the top recipients of “charitable” giving were donor-advised funds.

This massive amount of money is all hidden from charities that need it, and there are no public processes for charities to get access. The institutions themselves, given their financial incentives, are not motivated to move the money out the door expeditiously."

19-Aug-2019 11:38am

Is there a tax question here or are you just sharing a social issue you have an issue with?

19-Aug-2019 11:59am

Technically, makbo did ask a tax question, albeit an elementary one for an experienced tax professional. What is the provision in the tax code that allows companies to "deduct up to twice the cost of donated goods"?
. Section 170(e)(3) is the answer, but he knew that.

19-Aug-2019 3:10pm

CaptCook wrote:Is there a tax question here or are you just sharing a social issue you have an issue with?

Both. Commentary (without a question) is fully acceptable within the guidelines of this forum.

The trend for pharmaceutical and other health-care companies to fund self-serving charities is a relatively new one, and I thought it worth pointing it out.

Nilodop wrote:Technically, makbo did ask a tax question, albeit an elementary one for an experienced tax professional. What is the provision in the tax code that allows companies to "deduct up to twice the cost of donated goods"?
. Section 170(e)(3) is the answer, but he knew that.

What an amazing false presumption. No, I did not know that, why would I? I've only prepared maybe 3 or 4 corporate (non-subchapter-S) returns in my solo tax career so far, and none of them have donated any inventory (or even had inventory). And the one returning client I had this year with a C-corp to file, I told him I was in over my head (for reasons not related to inventory) and he'd have to find someone else.

19-Aug-2019 6:46pm

And here I thought it was a rhetorical question. Silly me.
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