Second Amendment Foundation received a $29,464.00 donation from AmazonSmile

[American123]

Amazon gets a charity write off and the US government gets less money in taxes and SAF gets more money.

The only way this can be considered a problem is if you'd rather the US government got more money instead of SAF.

Amazonsmile purchases are a 100% benefit. Contributing to SAF directly is fine, but anyone doing any shopping of anything on amazon should use amazonsmile exclusively and set donations to SAF.

My entire family uses my amazon account and all the purchases route through that way.

 

[po18guy]

You don't lose anything because you are not contibuting anything to be able to deduct, anyway. Forcing them to pay out of pocket to SAF does give them a deduction, but it's also cash out of their pockets. Or... diverting a portion of money you would spend anyway to something worthwhile vs. lining their pockets a little deeper.

The only way you get any deduction is paying out of your own pocket directly to a charity.

Which is what I do. The Amazon Foundation makes the donations for you and takes the exemption. If I pay directly, "I" take the deduction. Pretty sneaky of Amazon, but it's fine if you don't worry about your own taxes.

 

[Yarome]

Which is what I do. The Amazon Foundation makes the donations for you and takes the exemption. If I pay directly, "I" take the deduction. Pretty sneaky of Amazon, but it's fine if you don't worry about your own taxes.

You can do both. Let Amazon donate to SAF from your normal purchases, they get a deduction. You donate to SAF directly. You get a deduction. And SAF get's double the donations at no additional cost to you.

I'm not sure how that's being sneaky of Amazon. They aren't "taking" anything from you or your ability to donate and claim tax exemptions. It's all gravy toward SAF from purchases you're already making.

 

[PiratePast40]

Is SAF going anything meaningful for Oregon re BM114?

 

[Yarome]

Is SAF going anything meaningful for Oregon re BM114?

Not that I'm aware of.... yet. I guess they could put out a statment, but that won't do much. If they get involved it would be in challenging it if/when it passes, I would think.

 

[po18guy]

Apparently not making myself clear. I love deductions, as it's about the only way to get by. If I allow Amazon to donate, they get the tax deduction and I do not. Is that simple enough? Itemized deductions are money in my bank account. Allows me to buy gun srtuff. Amazon does not buy gun stuff with their deductions. Amazon makes charitable contributions easier - technically good, but they offer it primarily because it benefits them and their tax bill (corporate greed).

Ultimately the tax code is unworkable, but also unchangeable - except for worse.

 

[Dr Prepper]

BTW, I donate directly to SAF via their website.

Second Amendment Foundation

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) is dedicated to promoting a better understanding about our Constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms. To that end, we carry on many educational and legal action programs designed to better inform the public about the gun control debate.

www.saf.org

Yup I donate when I see them at shows. Cash in hand. Have the tee shirt.

 

[Yarome]

Apparently not making myself clear. I love deductions, as it's about the only way to get by. If I allow Amazon to donate, they get the tax deduction and I do not.

Perfectly clear from the get go. I think everyone has acknowledge that amazons donations to your selected charity does not allow you to take any charitable donation deductions made by Amazon. Nothing to dispute there and a no brainer.

It appeared that you were resistant to using smileamazon since there was no personal benefit, so.... the point I was making is that it costs you nothing and you lose nothing to designate a charity for amazon to contribute to from your everyday purchases. Money you are spending anyway. If you're going to put money in their pocket, might as well get the product you want and as a bonus.... a portion of the proceeds to a whorthwhile charity, Right?

I guess if a person doesn't want to donate, or cause a charity to receive any donations, unless they can claim a personal tax deduction for it, then they might not wish to participate in the smileamazon program. I get it. It's a personal choice.

Just speaking for myself, I couldn't care less. If I want a tax deduction I have the option to donate directly to the charity of my choice. If using smileamazon puts a bit of what I'm spending anyway into a worthwhile cause, I don't really care if amazon can use that as a tax deduction. They are capped at 25% of taxable income and any half way savy business will take advantage of that.. one way or another.

It all comes from buyer dollars anyway, but at least I can determine where my portion is going. That beats them sending my pennies to a charity that I absolutely do not support.

 

[po18guy]

Perfectly clear from the get go. I think everyone has acknowledge that amazons donations to your selected charity does not allow you to take any charitable donation deductions made by Amazon. Nothing to dispute there and a no brainer.

It appeared that you were resistant to using smileamazon since there was no personal benefit, so.... the point I was making is that it costs you nothing and you lose nothing to designate a charity for amazon to contribute to from your everyday purchases. Money you are spending anyway. If you're going to put money in their pocket, might as well get the product you want and as a bonus.... a portion of the proceeds to a whorthwhile charity, Right?

I guess if a person doesn't want to donate, or cause a charity to receive any donations, unless they can claim a personal tax deduction for it, then they might not wish to participate in the smileamazon program. I get it. It's a personal choice.

Just speaking for myself, I couldn't care less. If I want a tax deduction I have the option to donate directly to the charity of my choice. If using smileamazon puts a bit of what I'm spending anyway into a worthwhile cause, I don't really care if amazon can use that as a tax deduction. They are capped at 25% of taxable income and any half way savy business will take advantage of that.. one way or another.

It all comes from buyer dollars anyway, but at least I can determine where my portion is going. That beats them sending my pennies to a charity that I absolutely do not support.

So the argument is over...???

 

[Provincial]

Look at it this way:

If no one used Smile to donate to SAF, then Bezos would still want the write-off. He would probably then donate to Everytown, or something similar. So by using Smile to donate to SAF, you are taking money away from gun grabbers!

 

[Will_White]

Apparently not making myself clear. I love deductions, as it's about the only way to get by. If I allow Amazon to donate, they get the tax deduction and I do not.

Yes but it doesn't cost anything to use Amazon Smile to make Amazon donate to SAF. If you shop on Amazon, there is literally no reason not to. You aren't making a donation, you are making Amazon make a donation.

Amazon Smile is not a round up for charity program, Amazon donates .5% of your purchase to the charity of your choice at no cost to you.

 

[Yarome]

So the argument is over...???

I have no idea what the argument was. Everyone was stating the same thing over and over..." you're right"... and you kept restating your point as if no one was understanding you.

You're still right. You can't claim a deduction for a charitable contribution you did not make.

 

[American123]

Apparently not making myself clear. I love deductions, as it's about the only way to get by. If I allow Amazon to donate, they get the tax deduction and I do not. Is that simple enough? Itemized deductions are money in my bank account. Allows me to buy gun srtuff. Amazon does not buy gun stuff with their deductions. Amazon makes charitable contributions easier - technically good, but they offer it primarily because it benefits them and their tax bill (corporate greed).

Ultimately the tax code is unworkable, but also unchangeable - except for worse.

Good gracious man. I don't know how many times this needs to be explained for you to understand. I feel like I need to get some crayons out and draw a picture. It hurts to watch this exchange.

When you make a purchase using Amazonsmile (amazon.com but routed through their charitable donation website) they will donate like (I'm guessing) 1/2 of a percent from the purchase price to your selected charity.

As a consumer already buying something on Amazon there is 0 difference in tax deductions for you, 0 additional cost as well, but a small portion does get donated to the charity by Amazon.

Compare that to not using Amazonsmile and just buy things on regular Amazon.com Amazon does not make a small donation.

That's it, that's the ONLY difference. There is nothing sneaky about it, there is nothing devious about it. It in no way negatively affects you as the consumer buying things on Amazon and it has absolutely nothing to do with your personal tax deductions whether you itemize or not.

The literally only difference is as I said, whether SAF gets a small donation from amazon, or not. That's it, that's the only difference.

Therefore it is only a benefit.

 

[pdempsey1097]

I love using Amazon Smile BOTH personally and via my work account. I know why they named it "Smile" - I do every time I use it and see SAF listed.

I'm also an SAF member and enjoy listening to recaps of all of the cases they're fighting and winning all over the country. Alan is usually on the first hour of Armed American Radio's Sunday show.