Thursday, January 31, 2013

Nonprofits rally to be spared from further state budget cuts | The Connecticut Mirror

Nonprofits rally to be spared from further state budget cuts | The Connecticut Mirror: Hundreds of workers, administrators and clients from Connecticut's private, nonprofit social service agencies rallied Wednesday outside the Capitol, urging officials to restore budget cuts and preserve services for poor and disabled residents.

And while Gov. Dannel P. Malloy told the crowd of more than 700 that he would propose using state borrowing to help cover capital costs for agencies, advocates -- while grateful -- were more concerned about regular state funding to operate their programs.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Maine Nonprofit Day set for Thursday in Augusta | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME

Maine Nonprofit Day set for Thursday in Augusta | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME: UGUSTA -- Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area is joining the Maine Association of Nonprofits at Maine Nonprofit Day at the State House. Nonprofit Day provides an opportunity for nonprofits and government to assert their commitment to working together in order to creatively, efficiently and effectively serve the people of Maine.

The 10th Annual Nonprofit Day takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta.

Richmond tightens tax exemption rules | Richmond BizSense

Richmond tightens tax exemption rules | Richmond BizSense: tax break on real estate for local nonprofits will soon be harder to come by.

The Richmond City Council on Monday night voted unanimously to impose a moratorium on “by designation” property tax exemptions for nonprofits that aren’t automatically excused by state law.

The change to the ordinance means that nonprofits in the city, with the exception of state-approved hospitals, government organizations, religious organizations, libraries and schools, won’t be able to apply for tax-exempt status on their real estate for 2014 or beyond.

Monday, January 28, 2013

The fight over the charitable tax deduction is a red herring | PHILANTHROPY 2173

The fight over the charitable tax deduction is a red herring | PHILANTHROPY 2173: The fight over the charitable tax deduction is a red herring
The following post went "live" on December 17, 2012 by accident, because I had mistakenly mis-set the posting function from "Draft" to "Post." I took it down because what went live really was a draft - I spent several days rewriting it. I'm re-posting it now because, for a variety of reasons, I'm not getting any further on my intended re-write and didn't want to lose this set of thoughts completely.
(Lucy Bernholz, January 24, 2013)

******
A recent report found Harvard University paid its money managers (of which there are fewer than 100) more than it paid its arts and science faculty (of whom there are 450).This led several wise-cracking Twitterers to note that Harvard had become "A giant hedge fund with a little school attached."

Lobbying Tactics on Postal Issue Splits Nonprofits - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Lobbying Tactics on Postal Issue Splits Nonprofits - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Lobbying Tactics on Postal Issue Splits Nonprofits

January 28, 2013, 9:59 am

By Doug Donovan

The executive director of an association that successfully persuaded a powerful Congressman to commit to preserving discount postage rates for nonprofits lashed out Friday against Independent Sector for formally asking the representative to maintain that position.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Fitzgerald tells Allegheny County nonprofits to justify tax-exempt statuses | TribLIVE

Fitzgerald tells Allegheny County nonprofits to justify tax-exempt statuses | TribLIVE: n the coming months, thousands of nonprofit organizations will get a letter from Allegheny County asking them to demonstrate why the properties they own should continue to be exempt from taxes, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced on Tuesday.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Israel Caps Pay for Leaders at Government-Supported Nonprofits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Israel Caps Pay for Leaders at Government-Supported Nonprofits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Israel Caps Pay for Leaders at Government-Supported Nonprofits

January 17, 2013, 10:25 am

Israel’s government is moving to limit compensation for top executives at state-supported nonprofit groups to the level of their peers at similar public institutions, reports Haaretz.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Boustany Reappointed Head of House Nonprofit Oversight Panel - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Boustany Reappointed Head of House Nonprofit Oversight Panel - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Boustany Reappointed Head of House Nonprofit Oversight Panel

January 15, 2013, 5:38 pm

By Suzanne Perry

Rep. Charles Boustany—a Louisiana Republican who started holding a series of hearings on nonprofit issues last year—has been reappointed chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

How the NAACP Activates Young People for Advocacy - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

How the NAACP Activates Young People for Advocacy - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: How the NAACP Activates Young People for Advocacy

January 14, 2013, 9:10 am

By Cody Switzer

Benjamin Jealous, chief executive of the NAACP, says advocacy organizations too often ignore young people—missing an opportunity to inspire the very supporters who might become most active in promoting a cause.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Married Couple's Guide To Estate Planning - Forbes

A Married Couple's Guide To Estate Planning - Forbes: Starting for deaths in 2011, and now going forward, widows and widowers can add any unused exclusion of the spouse who died most recently to their own $5.12 million tax-free amount.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Proposed Beijing law seeks data on charities |Nation and Digest |chinadaily.com.cn

Proposed Beijing law seeks data on charities |Nation and Digest |chinadaily.com.cn: Legislation mandates disclosure of philanthropic groups' fundraising

Beijing authorities have vowed to punish charity organizations that fail to disclose information as required, according to draft legislation.

Why the 'fiscal cliff' deal is an incentive to give to charity - CSMonitor.com

Why the 'fiscal cliff' deal is an incentive to give to charity - CSMonitor.com: Why the 'fiscal cliff' deal is an incentive to give to charity

The "fiscal cliff" deal's phaseout of itemized deductions is really a sneaky way to raise marginal income tax rates and creates an economic incentive to give to charities, Burman writes.

Act now to give IRA assets to charity - CBS News

Act now to give IRA assets to charity - CBS News: MoneyWatch) A provision in the recently enacted "fiscal cliff" law could provide a significant tax benefit for seniors who want to donate part of their IRAs to charity. Of course, there's some fine print along with the benefit.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Charity Commission registers the first charitable incorporated organisations

Charity Commission registers the first charitable incorporated organisations: The Lara Jones Charitable Foundation, founded in memory of an English teacher who died while backpacking in Cuba last year, is first to be approved

The Charity Commission has registered the first three charitable incorporated organisations, the new legal form for charities.

The regulator said 30 organisations had applied to it for CIO status.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Auditor: City should review nonprofit lease policies | UTSanDiego.com

Auditor: City should review nonprofit lease policies | UTSanDiego.com: San Diego should review whether to keep providing thousands of acres of space to nonprofit groups at little or no cost, a report to be discussed Monday by the city’s audit committee is recommending.

Fiscal cliff law brings mixed news to charitable organizations | TribLIVE

Fiscal cliff law brings mixed news to charitable organizations | TribLIVE: Charity leaders say they‘re relieved the tax law Congress passed on New Year‘s Day does not more severely limit the tax advantages of making donations.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which kept the country from going over the “fiscal cliff,” erases some uncertainty about tax rules that affect giving but still might impact charities and donors, the leaders said.

“There‘s some good in it and some bad in it for charities,”

More Estate Tax Changes Could Follow Fiscal Cliff Deal - Forbes

More Estate Tax Changes Could Follow Fiscal Cliff Deal - Forbes: As you may already have learned, in the first two days of 2013, Congress passed a tax compromise that averts the “fiscal cliff” and makes permanent the federal estate tax with an exemption of $5.12 million per individual and a tax rate of 40% for amounts over the exemption. But this news bite might leave you hungry for details about the estate tax, such as portability of the exemption, and the other wealth transfer taxes–the gift tax and the generation-skipping transfer tax. This post aims to answer your questions and serve as a useful resource.

Friday, January 04, 2013

Fiscal Cliff Legislation Extends Charitable IRA Rollovers Through 2013; Special Provision for 2012 Gifts | Planned Giving Design Center

Fiscal Cliff Legislation Extends Charitable IRA Rollovers Through 2013; Special Provision for 2012 Gifts | Planned Giving Design Center: H.R.8, the "American Taxpayer Relief Act" provides a special opportunity for Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts in 2012 if they are made in January of 2013 reports Memphis, Tennessee attorney Winton Smith. The new law also extends the Charitable IRA Rollover Gift for 2013 Rollover Gifts through December 31, 2013.

Thursday, January 03, 2013

Nonprofits Call Cliff Deal a Victory on Giving Incentives - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Nonprofits Call Cliff Deal a Victory on Giving Incentives - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Nonprofits Call Cliff Deal a Victory on Giving Incentives

By Doug Donovan

Nonprofit officials declared a victory in their advocacy to preserve the charitable tax deduction after Tuesday’s Congression�al vote to avert the fiscal cliff. But they remain frustrated that Congress did not resolve the $55-billion in federal spending cuts that are expected to hit social-service nonprofits particularly hard.

Provisions in Fiscal Cliff Legislation Affect Exempt Organizations

Provisions in Fiscal Cliff Legislation Affect Exempt Organizations: Provisions in Fiscal Cliff Legislation Affect Exempt Organizations

January 2013

Reprinted from Exempt Organizations Advisory

On January 1, 2013, the House and Senate passed H.R. 8, The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, a bill to avert the "Fiscal Cliff." The president is expected to sign the bill. [Editor's note: The president signed the bill after this article was written.] The bill contains a number of provisions of interest to tax-exempt organizations.

The bill raises marginal tax rates to a maximum of 39.6 percent for individuals with incomes over $400,000 and married couples filing joint returns with incomes over $450,000. The bill also raises capital gains and dividend rates from 15 percent to 20 percent for taxpayers above the same thresholds. In addition, the individual exemption amount for the estate tax remains at $5 million and is indexed for inflation. The maximum estate tax rate rises from 35 percent in 2012 to 40 percent for years beginning after December 31, 2012.

ECFA Commission Concludes No New Rules Needed on Unreasonable Nonprofit Compensation

ECFA Commission Concludes No New Rules Needed on Unreasonable Nonprofit Compensation: About two years ago, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, asked his staff to investigate media-based ministries and make recommendations about how to address self-dealing and questionable executive compensation levels and practices. Their recommendations were pretty dramatic: change which organizations are given nonprofit status by IRS, expand penalties on self-dealing, and establish new regulations to make sure that that nonprofits, particularly religious organizations, did not reward their leaders in an extravagant and excessive manner.

Rather than press for these legislative and regulatory changes, however, Senator Grassley asked the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (EFCA) to seek solutions that relied on self-regulation and not new laws. ECFA, in turn, formed the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations and broadened the focus to the entire nonprofit sector. About 80 representatives of the nonprofit sector were members of the commission and various committees. The committee produced a report, Enhancing Accountability for the Religious and Broader Nonprofit Sector, in December 2012.

Fiscal Cliff Deal Allows Giving IRA Assets To Charity - Forbes

Fiscal Cliff Deal Allows Giving IRA Assets To Charity - Forbes: Act fast: the fiscal cliff deal has a special tax break for cash donated by seniors to charity in Jan. 2013.

It’s a variation on the so-called IRA charitable rollover–

Special Report: Everything Each NPO Must Know about Fiscal Cliff Legislation | Michael Rosen Says…

Special Report: Everything Each NPO Must Know about Fiscal Cliff Legislation | Michael Rosen Says…: Special Report: Everything Each NPO Must Know about Fiscal Cliff Legislation

A dysfunctional White House and Congress officially took the United States over the so-called “Fiscal Cliff” at the close of December 31. Fortunately, a deal was reached late on New Year’s Day, hopefully averting what economists say would have been an almost certain return to deep recession.

Since the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was passed, there’s already been a great deal of confusion and misinformation about what the Act means to the nonprofit sector.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Charitable Deduction Not Taken Down by the Fiscal Cliff - Press - AFP

Charitable Deduction Not Taken Down by the Fiscal Cliff - Press - AFP: IRA Rollover Provision Extended

There was some good news in the final fiscal cliff bill for charities. The tax extenders package, which includes the IRA Rollover provision, was included in the fiscal cliff bill. The IRA Rollover provision permits individuals ages 70� and older to give direct gifts up to $100,000 to qualified public charities from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) without tax penalty.

Barnes County charity campaigns see record numbers | INFORUM | Fargo, ND

Barnes County charity campaigns see record numbers | INFORUM | Fargo, ND: VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Charity organizers throughout Barnes County say they've seen record donations this year as residents and businesses donated time and money to help those in need.

Fiscal Cliff Deal Preserves Charitable Deduction

CASE - United States: Fiscal Cliff Deal Preserves Charitable Deduction

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed fiscal cliff legislation that preserves the charitable deduction and extends the estate tax and IRA charitable rollover. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law.

New Regs on Payout Requirements for Type III Supporting Organizations That Are Not Functionally Integrated | Planned Giving Design Center

New Regs on Payout Requirements for Type III Supporting Organizations That Are Not Functionally Integrated | Planned Giving Design Center: Treasury has issued final and temporary regulations regarding the requirements to qualify as a Type III supporting organization that is operated in connection with one or more supported organizations. The regulations reflect changes to the law made by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and will affect Type III supporting organizations and their supported organizations.

Fiscal Cliff Deal Could Hurt Charitable Giving - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Fiscal Cliff Deal Could Hurt Charitable Giving - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Fiscal Cliff Deal Could Hurt Charitable Giving

January 1, 2013, 4:26 pm

By Doug Donovan

Legislation the Congress passed Tuesday to avoid the fiscal cliff limits how much wealthy people can claim in deductions for charitable contributions and other spending when they itemize their tax returns.

The legislation raises the top tax rate to 39.6 percent on household incomes above $450,000 but maintains current rates for everyone else, or about 98 percent of all Americans. It also delays for two months the $110-billion in federal spending cuts scheduled for 2013.