Year end tax statements

[jdlessley]

For those interested, see IRS Publication 1771, Charitable Contributions–Substantiation and Disclosure Requirements.

A donor must receive the acknowledgment of the donation by the earlier of: the date on which the donor actually files his or her individual federal income tax return for the year of the contribution; or the due date (including extensions) of the return.

This is good for the U.S. only. Users in other countries must comply with their country's tax laws.

[quicky]

I thought CHQ was going to mail out the tax receipts this year for members who had changed locations during the 2011 fiscal year. They were going to do that in 2010, and insisted right until the end that they would, and then they did not. I was under the impression that they were going to for the 2011 year. Did I miss something? KQ

[jdlessley]

We don't know for sure. There have been no messages sent out to confirm they are going to do this.

Even if CHQ sends a tax-valid statement to members who have made contributions in more than one unit during the year, the requirement for units to send them out for members who have moved out has not been rescinded.

[slgray500]

We don't know for sure. There have been no messages sent out to confirm they are going to do this.

Even if CHQ sends a tax-valid statement to members who have made contributions in more than one unit during the year, the requirement for units to send them out for members who have moved out has not been rescinded.

Ok, but how do we get the addresses for these donors? MLS shows paritial address for them, but not City, State and zip code so we can mail them out. They also don't seem to show up in a "Print Mailing Labels" type of menu. Any suggestions?

[aebrown]

...the requirement for units to send them out for members who have moved out has not been rescinded.

Ok, but how do we get the addresses for these donors? MLS shows paritial address for them, but not City, State and zip code so we can mail them out.

The post you quoted from jdlessley overstates the requirement a bit. It's not your obligation to get addresses for donors who did not give you addresses. According to the MLS Software Manual, page A-10:

6. Donors who are not members of the ward. Do not complete the tithing status. Deliver or mail statements to those you have addresses for. Keep the rest for one year in case donors ask for them.

They also don't seem to show up in a "Print Mailing Labels" type of menu.

All donors will appear in the Print Mailing Labels option if you select that option from a donor list, such as Print Donor Statements. But donors who have no address in the system will clearly not have an address listed, even if the donor name does appear.

[funaddict]

Do you print out and deliver tax statements for little children? If you have a family with 8 little children who donate to tithing during the year, do we need to print, have the bishop sign and then deliver statements to them, or just for the parents? I'm not referring to teens with regular jobs or other minors who might have a substantial income. Can, or do, parents report charitable contributions by their dependants?
Thanks,
Alan

[Mikerowaved]

Do you print out and deliver tax statements for little children? If you have a family with 8 little children who donate to tithing during the year, do we need to print, have the bishop sign and then deliver statements to them, or just for the parents? I'm not referring to teens with regular jobs or other minors who might have a substantial income. Can, or do, parents report charitable contributions by their dependants?
Thanks,
Alan

I don't think we need to worry about what they might do with the forms once received. We are simply asked to deliver them. And yes, that includes children who have donated.

[greggo]

Right or wrong, I've taken a different approach in the past and only printed those that I thought were needed (anything to lesson the burden on the bishop), and it never caused an issue. I figured those who wanted all their children's statements would ask for them.

[aebrown]

Right or wrong, I've taken a different approach in the past and only printed those that I thought were needed (anything to lesson the burden on the bishop), and it never caused an issue. I figured those who wanted all their children's statements would ask for them.

I don't see how you can possibly know for certain whether a child might need such a statement, unless the parents specifically told you not to deliver such a statement. In the absence of such a specific request, the instructions are clear: "Each donor should also be given a year-end tax-valid statement after the year ends" (emphasis added). I see no justification for a clerk to make assumptions contrary to those specific instructions.

[Miknmaur]

In trying to get the addresses for moved members it is interesting that the year to date donation summary page shows the members' new street address but not the city and state. Can this info be obtained somehow?