# Tax write off question; need answer fast please
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 2, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670 "2010-12-02T15:13:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/1 "2010-12-02T15:13:05Z")
Can I get a tax write off for donating to my own charity? In other words, can Tiger Woods donate to the Tiger Woods Foundation and get a tax write-off for that? Please hurry with answer and a cite if you can. Fast. I have a know-it-all coworker that I would love to just shut up for once.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/2 "2010-12-02T15:16:50Z")
If the charity is properly credentialed (normally a [501(c)(3)](http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html) letter from the IRS), then all donations to it are tax-deductible.
Giving money to “your own” charity isn’t code language for giving it to yourself. The charity has to have an organization and structure; even if it has your name on it, it’s still a separate entity. See the first paragraph of the linked document.
N.b., I am neither an accountant nor a lawyer. In fact, I can’t even fall back on what I _am_ professionally, because professionally I’m not allowed to answer tax questions.
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### Author:  [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/3 "2010-12-02T15:19:42Z")
No - not if the charity benefits you, specifically. If it’s a charity that is legit, and you are the one that started it - then that’s fine - see Knead above.
[http://taxes.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=taxes&cdn=money&tm=21&gps=241\_2221\_1260\_866&f=00&su=p284.9.336.ip\_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.irs.gov/publications/p526/index.html](http://taxes.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=taxes&cdn=money&tm=21&gps=241_2221_1260_866&f=00&su=p284.9.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.irs.gov/publications/p526/index.html)
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### Author:  [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/4 "2010-12-02T15:21:38Z")
Thank you so much. I was wrong, but I appreciate the info. Sigh.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/5 "2010-12-02T15:50:58Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#):
>
> Thank you so much. I was wrong, but I appreciate the info. Sigh.
Jeez. This is the Internet. You were supposed to tell us you were right and your coworker is an idiot! Get with the program. 😛
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### Author:  [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/6 "2010-12-02T16:44:41Z")
While it may be true for the level at which most of us donate, it isn’t true that ALL donations are tax deductible, even to a qualified organiztion.
From IRS:
“Generally, you may deduct up to 50% of your adjusted gross income, but 20% and 30% limitations apply in some cases.”
[http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=134331,00.html](http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=134331,00.html)
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### Author:  [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/7 "2010-12-02T16:53:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Jeez. This is the Internet. You were supposed to tell us you were right and your coworker is an idiot! Get with the program. 😛
Oh. Yeah! That’s what I meant to say. I am just distracted here at my job of being Halle Berry’s body double.
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-write-off-question-need-answer-fast-please/562670/8 "2010-12-02T20:23:19Z")
Just to add a little to what others have said…
The bulk of the 990 tax return for a non-profit covers the board of directors, how they are related to the organization, how (and how much) they are paid, and how the organization is funded. 990s are considered public information and organization are required to have a way for people to obtain or request a copy.
So if Tiger woods donated $500,000 to his personal charity, then used the money to buy his new vacation house, that would be made obvious in the publicly-available documents. Eventually, the IRS would notice and either reclassify transactions or strip the organization of its nonprofit status. (Or, he could hide the transactions by intentionally filling out the forms incorrectly. That would be tax fraud.)
Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation is a case where literally billions of dollars are being donated to his own charity.