I am the one who once a year generally gets stuck in front of the parish asking for money. i dont particualrly enjoy it BUT the Church needs money to operate on. Are you aware that in most Parishes 20% of the people support the other 80%?
Yes. Charitable donations are tax deductible. If you itemize you can definitely take them. If not, I don’t know.
Were they holding a gun to your head or was it a stewardship presentation and appeal? Was it a demend or a plea? I don’t see nothing wrong with giving out information about the expenses, donations and shortages, in fact I would request them if the parish didn’t provide them at least twice a year. We need to be challenged, too many parishes are holding on by a shoe string. And Catholics are notorious for holding back in giving thier far share. The $5.00 amount, well that is figure is probably the minumn they figured was needed to keep running the Parish, and that would only be about 10% of someone who had an income of $ 2,800.00 a year, 1% of someone with an income of $28,000 if your income falls between those incomes levels it might be too much to ask.I had never heard of a parish asking for money, more like, demanding money. I always was suprised when people said otherwise, but now I have lived it myself. The parish I belonged to never demanded money from the parishoners. The monetary issues were always on the bulletin and it said whether or not there were deficits, but never demanded more money.
But this new parish has the financial committee actually stand in front by the altar and give a speech on how parishoners aren’t contributing enough. That those who have envelopes should give more money, and those who have an EFT automatic deduction from their accounts should at least give $5 each Sunday. I was angry at the fact that they are demanding people to give more! How can they do this? I’m pretty sure people give what they can afford, maybe some can give more, but how dare they scold everyone and demand more money? I’m still a member of my old Parish and was thinking of switching to this one, but I don’t think I want to after this. It sounds just like the JWs demanding for money!
I cannot believe this woman acted this way in the middle of Mass. I mean, they even passed around a paper with the expenses, donations, and shortages during Mass. Yes, it’s our duty to give, but how can they demand we give more. What if we can’t afford to?? I’m outraged!
If you cant itemize you cant take them.
Yes, it’s a charitable donation. Why wouldn’t I deduct it? Less money legally to Ceasar is always something I strongly approve of.
You are right, I could do that and give the money to the Church. I never thought of that.
Then you should write them off and give the Church the amount you saved in taxes.
NOT TO DERAIL THE THREAD BUT:
She doesn’t even pay my taxes… she considers me a 1099 which am I not. Another of her 1099 “assistants” confronted her about this and aked his accountant to charge her the back taxes and he got put on leave of absence for a few months. I already reported her to the IRS, I’m risking my job though. I haven’t heard anything from the IRS, but I am in the process of taking a class to get a job somewhere else.
You are between a rock and a hard place. iI you turn her in you lose your job. If and when you leave her employ you should report her to the IRS who will then force her to refund you the half of your payroll taxes she was supposed to be paying.
Thanks for the clarification even though I already knew the difference, but it seems my boss doesn’t. I have to be here 5 days a wk, 8 hrs a day, tells me to do this, do that, go here, call so and so, copy this, print that, sometimes I can’t even stand her, she acts like a nagging 2 yr old.
But w/paying my taxes quaterly, paying all the bills and the rest, I don’t think I can afford 10% of my salary (but I have been thinking of cancelling the phone at home, we never get calls there and it’s not a necessity).You know, rather than feel bad, you might consider that you are in a special circumstance. Based on what you write, I would consider yours a special case! Being married out of the faith to someone of a hostile religion is very tough.
] but Jesus is always there, strengthening us and encouraging us to follow Him. You are a blessing to the world and Stewardship is a learned behavior that comes with hard work on our part and God’s Grace making up for what we lack!Some people, however, do choose to make a distinction and “keep hidden” or seperate what they offer to charity/church not minding (or even finding it acceptable and even right) to pay what they consider to be appropriate to both church and state, Thus, they don’t bother with deducting donations from taxes.
You know, if they’d put it like that to parisioners, it might well wake more people up to the paltry which their offerings are. Shoot, the widow’s mite may actually add up to more not just in percentage of giving but real dollars!