Estate tax repeal among 18 bills Ohio House GOP introduces to advance agenda | cleveland.com

Estate tax repeal among 18 bills Ohio House GOP introduces to advance agenda | cleveland.com: "COLUMBUS, Ohio - The new Republican majority in the Ohio House of Representatives introduced a plan to repeal the Ohio estate tax on Tuesday, along with other bills to advance an agenda they say is focused on job creation."

Puget Sound nonprofits lobby for cultural taxing districts | Puget Sound Business Journal

Puget Sound nonprofits lobby for cultural taxing districts | Puget Sound Business Journal: "Nonprofit groups want to leverage the economic impact of the arts to encourage state lawmakers to help create special cultural taxing districts.

The current version of the proposed bill, which has not yet been introduced, would create voter-approved taxing districts — called Cultural Access Funds — that would support access to arts and cultural organizations."

New Illinois Tax Increases Offer Only Modest Relief for Unpaid Charities - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

New Illinois Tax Increases Offer Only Modest Relief for Unpaid Charities - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Gov. Patrick J. Quinn is set to sign legislation to increase the state’s income and corporate taxes and help the state plug a budget hole of at least $13-billion.

That should make it somewhat easier for the state to pay its bills, including to charities that provide human services. Illinois has the worst record in the country when it comes to late payments for government contracts, according to a recent nationwide survey of nonprofits."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | County Reconsidering Need for Audits

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | County Reconsidering Need for Audits: "anuary 9, 2011; Source:Star News | Nonprofits receiving a small amount of money from Brunswick County, N.C. may find themselves relieved of the burden of producing full-blown audits soon. The county is reviewing the practice of demanding an audit that could cost between $4,000 and $7,000 from small organizations receiving grants that are sometimes smaller than that cost."

Evangelical Groups Avoid Legislation, For Now- The NonProfit Times Jan 7, 2011

Evangelical Groups Avoid Legislation, For Now- The NonProfit Times Jan 7, 2011: "Three years after a senator's inquiry into finances of some of the nation's largest media-driven ministries, a new panel has been established to tackle significant issues as an alternative to Congress passing legislative reforms.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, requested the help of the Winchester, Va.-based Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which today announced the Commission on Accountability and Police for Religious Organizations. The senator’s office this week released a review of activities and practices of six media-based Christian ministries and reports concerning other churches and religious organizations. According to Grassley, he wrote to the ministries in November 2007 after constituent inquiries to him because of his tax-exempt oversight responsibilities."

Heard on the Web: Planning For A Disappearing Estate Tax Break | Planned Giving Design Center

Heard on the Web: Planning For A Disappearing Estate Tax Break | Planned Giving Design Center: "Although a new $5 million estate tax break may be welcome news to many taxpayers, the provision is scheduled to expire at the end of 2012. Writing for Forbes, Deborah L. Jacobs discusses measures estate owners and their advisers are contemplating to plan for an uncertain future."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | New Estate Tax Law Could Hurt Charity

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | New Estate Tax Law Could Hurt Charity: "December 28, 2011; Source:Forbes | A tax lawyer writing for Forbes suggests that the new tax bill's reinstatement of the estate tax isn't going to be much of an incentive for lifetime charitable giving or charitable bequests. Had the Bush tax cuts expired, the estate tax would have been reinstated with an exemption of $1 million per person and a tax rate of 55 percent. The compromise tax bill set the exemption from the federal estate tax at $5 million per person and the estate tax rate at 35 percent."

Impact of December, 2010 Tax Law Changes on Charitable Giving | Planned Giving Design Center

From December 2010 via PGDC

Impact of December, 2010 Tax Law Changes on Charitable Giving | Planned Giving Design Center: "On December 17 the president signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This much-anticipated legislation features continuation of tax cuts that were scheduled to expire, extension of unemployment benefits, and other measures designed to stimulate the economy."

New Tax Deal Lowers Estate Tax and Extends IRA Charity Break - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

New Tax Deal Lowers Estate Tax and Extends IRA Charity Break - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Congress has approved a new tax deal that would lower estate-tax rates from 2009 levels and extend a benefit for older donors who tap their individual retirement accounts to make charitable donations.

President Obama, who brokered the deal with Republican lawmakers, is expected to sign the bill into law today."

Exempt Organization Update | Planned Giving Design Center

Exempt Organization Update | Planned Giving Design Center: "he IRS today released Exempt Organization Update for December 15, 2010. The update includes: Exempt Organizations Releases FY 2011 Implementing Guidelines; Leadership Changes in Exempt Organizations; Priority Guidance Plan for 2010-11 Announced; Follow the IRS on Twitter; Tax Preparers: Register for PTINs Now; Proposed Regulations Would Reduce Enrolled Agent Fees; and Electronic Funds Transfer of Depository Taxes."

Draft house-to-house collections code gives too much power to local authorities, says PFRA - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Draft house-to-house collections code gives too much power to local authorities, says PFRA - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "The PFRA warns in its briefing that the impact of such guidance from NALEO could have wider impact than on just house-to-house clothing collections. “By seeking to address the issue via statute rather than voluntary self-regulation/best practice (the Code), NALEO and licensing authorities are in danger of seriously damaging the house-to-house solicitation of direct debits,” the briefing paper reads."

Raffles could get OK of state - Local - TheSunNews.com

Raffles could get OK of state - Local - TheSunNews.com: "COLUMBIA -- A bill to legalize charitable raffles and casual gambling is moving forward in the Senate, but senators caution that doesn't mean they are opening the door to professional gambling.

'It is not bringing organized gambling to South Carolina,' Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said. 'It isn't opening up casinos. It's allowing charities to do what they are already doing and to prevent selective enforcement of the law in South Carolina.'"

Nonprofits Fear Loss of Charitable Tax Deduction - NYTimes.com

Nonprofits Fear Loss of Charitable Tax Deduction - NYTimes.com: "“The administration’s proposal went nowhere, but Pandora’s box was cracked open then,” said Diana Aviv, president of the Independent Sector, a trade group for nonprofits.

Charities warn that reducing or eliminating the deduction will cause irreparable damage to the nonprofit sector. They said the proposed changes came at a time of sustained and severe declines in donations because of the recession and cuts in government contracts for nonprofits. The charities also noted an increased demand for services."

The Podium

The Podium: "The Podium
November 29, 2010

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This week's Podium comes to us from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

How would a government-imposed salary cap on your own compensation affect you? Would it affect your performance? What sort of message would it send to you, your organization and those who support your organization if that cap were imposed upon every employee’s compensation? How would it affect your own hiring practices and your pools of potential hires? How would you feel if the cap were imposed even though a separate existing government entity was already regulating your organization and its compensation practices?"

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | PILOTs in the Recession

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | PILOTs in the Recession: "The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy has just produced the definitive study of Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) that are slapped on tax exempt nonprofits to help pay for municipal services. The report documents PILOTs in 117 municipalities in 18 states. The researchers say that Boston's pilot program is among the nation's most 'revenue productive.'"