U.S. Supreme Court Archives - Gordon Fischer Law Firm

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25 Days of Giving: What the Personal Benefit Transfer Means for Charitable Contributions

Thanks for the reading the 25 Days of Giving series! Each day through December 25, I’m covering different aspects of charitable giving for both donors and nonprofit leaders. Have a topic you want to be covered or questions you want answered regarding charitable giving? Contact me.

The vast majority of public and private universities and colleges are tax-exempt entities as defined by Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) because of their educational purposes and/or the fact that they are state governmental entities. If this is the case, have you ever wondered why tuition for a student to attend a university is not deductible as a charitable contribution? This is known in gift law as as a “personal benefit” transfer. The personal benefit of education for the student is equal to the tuition paid. Because of the benefit value, there is no charitable gift and therefore no federal income tax charitable contribution deduction.

Another example of personal benefit transfer would be payment to a charity for specific services, and such payments are not deductible. In Hernandez v. Commissioner, the U.S. Supreme Court determined gifts of fixed amounts to the Church of Scientology (a tax-exempt religious organization) in exchange for personal counseling were not deductible. The Court held that such “gifts” were more appropriately considered payments for services rather than charitable contributions.

If you ever have a question if a charitable gift is tax deductible, don’t hesitate to contact me. It never hurts to get a second opinion on potential personal benefit situations, especially if the opinion can mean potentially avoiding an IRS audit.

December 10, 2019/by Gordon Fischer

Iowa Nonprofit Sales Tax Exemptions & Remote Sellers

Nonprofits, Taxes & Finance

In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair that changed the way remote sellers (like internet companies) do business in states where they don’t have a physical presence, like a brick and mortar store or a headquarters. Essentially it means these companies will start collecting sales tax in certain states with economic nexus laws already on the books to enforce collection against said remote retailers. Iowa is one such state.

What does this mean for you and your nonprofit? Most nonprofits may start seeing sales tax tacked on to certain receipts for digital accounts/services. (The rate of sales tax is based on your Iowa primary contact address.) But, some nonprofits are exempt from sales tax and therefore will need to remit an exemption certificate to the remote seller.

Taxes and Nonprofits

The interplay between taxes and nonprofits can be confusing. Even if a nonprofit is exempt from state and federal income taxes, it does not mean that entity is auto exempt from paying sales tax for goods and (taxable) services. Generally, sales taxes must be paid unless the nonprofit falls under the umbrella of some other applicable general sales tax exemption. (Local option sales taxes must also be paid on purchases made in existing areas.)

However, the Iowa Code does exempt certain nonprofits from paying sales tax on purchases. The Iowa Department of Revenue’s guide to “Iowa Tax Issues for Nonprofits” provides a (non-exclusive) list of entities that are specifically exempt from sales/use taxes under Iowa law. I’ve included the pretty lengthy list here for your convenience!

American Red Cross
Navy Relief Society
U.S.O. (United Service Organizations)
Community health centers (as defined in 42 U.S.C.A. subsection 254c)
Migrant health centers (as defined in 42 U.S.C.A. subsection 254b)
Residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled and residential care facilities for the mentally ill (licensed by the Department of Inspections and Appeals under Iowa Code chapter 135C)
Residential facilities for intellectually disabled children (licensed by the Department of Human Services under Iowa Code chapter 237)
Residential facilities for child foster care [licensed by the Department of Human Services under Iowa Code chapter 237, except those maintained by “individuals” as defined in Iowa Code subsection 237.1(7)]
Rehabilitation facilities which provide accredited rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities and which are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities or the Accreditation Council for Services for intellectually disabled and other developmentally disabled persons and adult day care services approved for reimbursement by the Iowa Department of Human Services
Community mental health centers (accredited by the Department of Human Services under Iowa Code chapter 225C)
Home and community-based services providers certified to offer Medicaid waiver services by the Department of Human Services that are any of the following:
- - Health and disability waiver service providers, described in 441 IAC 77.30.
  - Hospice providers, described in 441 IAC 77.32.
  - Elderly waiver service providers, described in 441 IAC 77.33.
  - AIDS/HIV waiver service providers, described in 441 IAC 77.34.
  - Federally qualified health centers, described in 441 IAC 77.35.
  - Intellectual disabilities waiver service providers, described in 441 IAC 77.37.
  - Brain injury waiver service providers, described in 441 IAC 77.39.
Sales of tangible personal property and services made to nonprofit hospitals and nonprofit hospices (licensed under Iowa Code chapter 135B)
Statewide nonprofit organ procurement organizations
Nonprofit legal aid organizations
Nonprofit organizations organized solely for the purpose of lending property to the general public for nonprofit purposes
Nonprofit private museums*
Governmental units, subdivisions, or instrumentalities of the federal government or of the state of Iowa (This includes state, county, and local subdivisions of the government of the State of Iowa and those of any other state which provide a similar sales tax exemption to Iowa and its political subdivisions.) *
Recreational lake and water quality districts*
Federal corporations created by the federal government which are exempt under federal law *
Private nonprofit educational institutions located in Iowa *
Private nonprofit art centers located in Iowa
Habitat for Humanity in Iowa when purchasing building materials *
Toys for Tots when purchasing toys
Community action agencies as defined in Iowa Code section 216A.93
Substance abuse treatment or prevention facilities that receive block grant funding from the Iowa Department of Public Health

Sales Tax Exemption in Action

So, let’s say you’re an Iowa private nonprofit grade school that subscribes to an online newsletter service (which is based in California) so that administrators can design, write, and send a weekly email update to parents of students. Your organization would likely be exempt from the new sales tax charges imposed by the remote seller on your subscription rate.

What’s the Difference Between Public Charity & Private Foundation

Down to the Details

Exempt nonprofits must pay for their purchases from the entity’s account and should complete and submit an Iowa Sales Tax Exemption Certificate 31-014 to the remote seller.

Questions? Not sure if your nonprofit qualifies for this exemption? Don’t hesitate to contact me at any time to speak about your situation.

September 25, 2019/by Gordon Fischer

Love, Death, & Taxes: Estate Planning Considerations for Same-Sex Spouses

Estates & Estate Planning, Taxes & Finance, Wills, Trusts & Estates

Everyone needs an estate plan! This goes for if you’re a young professional or have minor children or are retired. And, it goes for all married couples!

This year marks a decade since Iowa Supreme Court decision of Varnum v. Brien, which legalized same-sex marriage in the state. This case was a precursor and set a standard echoed subsequently in other states and eventually at the national level. The Supreme Court’s opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage was a major win for both LGBTQ and human rights.

The 10-year marker of the Varnum decision reminded me that Obergefell had an enormous impact on estate planning. With same-sex marriage now recognized across the country, it opened a multitude of previously unattainable tools and tax-savings that come along with a legal and recognized marriage. Yet, same-sex couples still may have situations that require extra or special planning. You may be surprised to learn that It can’t be it covered by a single article, so I’ll hit the high points. Here are five considerations for same-sex spouses engaged in estate planning.

Unlimited Marital Deduction

The unlimited marital deduction is a money-saving must for all married couples. The unlimited marital deduction is an essential estate preservation tool because it means an unrestricted amount of assets can be transferred (at any time, including at death) from one spouse to the other spouse, free from taxes (including the estate tax and gift tax). Prior to Obergefell, same-sex couples had to depend on their individual applicable exclusion in order to provide for a surviving partner.

(Note that the marital deduction is available only to surviving spouses who are U.S. citizens. If your spouse is not a U.S. citizen, look at other tools, such as a qualified domestic trust (QDOT), which may act to minimize or eliminate taxes.)

Guardianship of Minor Children

A will is so critically important for several reasons, including the fact a parent can make a designation of guardianship for minor children should something happen to the parent while the child is still under age 18. Without a will, no guardianship can be established, and Iowa Courts must choose guardians. Unfortunately, with no clear evidence as to what the former caregivers would have preferred, the Court must make its “best guess” as to who the parents would have preferred and what would be in the best interest of the child. The Court may, or may not, choose who the caregivers would have named.

Establishing guardianship is SO important for all parents, but especially so for same-sex parents. The legal relationship between a minor child and a parent in a same-sex marriage should specifically be identified in the estate plan. Additionally, if only one spouse is currently the natural or adoptive parent of a minor child, the spouse of the said parent should consider adopting the child to legalize the relationship. Without this officially established relationship, the death of the adoptive/natural parent could open the door for a custody battle with the deceased’s family or the child’s birth parents. To avoid litigation (and avoiding litigation in estate planning is always a good idea), co-parent adoptions protect each parent’s rights regarding guardianship.

If adoption isn’t on the table, it’s smart to create a trust with specific provisions for the relationship between the non-legal parent and the minor child if someone else were to become the guardian.

(Expert advice: The adoption tax credit is not available for a spouse adopting a spouse’s child. If adoption is in the plans it may be financially advantageous for the adoption to take place prior to marriage.)

Give Your Assets to your Child(ren)

Adoption also plays an important role not just in guardianship but in the passage of assets. Typically, when parents die their assets are passed on to their child(ren). If this is indeed an estate planning goal for a same-sex couple, adoption should definitely be considered since it’s more common in same-sex marriages for only one parent to be biologically related to the child.

The term for adoption by a spouse (without the “first parent” losing any parental rights) varies from state-to-state and can be called second-parent adoption, co-parent adoption, stepparent adoption, or confirmation adoption.

Once an adoption is final, an adoptive parent has all the permanent legal rights and responsibilities of a parent-child relationship, exactly the same as that of a birth parent.

Without the legal determination and an estate plan the child(ren) may not get anything as the couple’s assets could flow instead to other family members.

Professional Planner

For all the aforementioned considerations and more, it’s smart for all couples, but especially same-sex couples, to avoid the DIY online estate plan templates. Most of these services don’t include the specific provisions and important estate plan needs of LGBT couples. Seek out a lawyer with ample experience in estate planning who understands the potential legal challenges your estate could face so they can adequately protect your assets from potential peril. For instance, if you think the situation could arise where family members who disprove of the marriage or decisions regarding the estate could create future conflict, your lawyer should be able to advise on how a “no contest” clause to be incorporated into the estate plan.

9 Reasons You Need a Lawyer to Write your Estate Plan

Comprehensive Review

As stated before, given the tax-saving tools that marriage provides, it’s nothing but beneficial to review any and all existing estate plan documents of each spouse. (Married couples often seek joint representation in estate planning, but individual representation can help couples avoid conflicts of interest.)

In your estate plan review confirm that definitions accurately reflect relationships with verbiage such as “spouse,” “children,” “husband,” “wife,” and the like, so there’s no ambiguity when it comes to execution of the plan.

Following marriage, it’s also a good idea to take a look at re-titling property (such as a home) from sole ownership to joint tenancy. This means that if one spouse were to pass, the other would get the property without it passing through probate. (Depending on your situation, you could also consider “tenancy in common” as another option for holding property titles under multiple names.)

Additionally, don’t forget to check your beneficiary designations on accounts such as savings/checking, insurance, 401k, and retirement benefits, as these designations actually trump your will.

Ask your professional advisors—lawyer, financial advisor, insurance agent—to help you maximize your money-saving benefits when it comes to gift, income, and federal/state estate taxes.

Get Started

You’ve worked hard for the assets you’ve built and the property you’ve acquired. Almost assuredly you want these assets to pass to the ones you love—the ones you’ve built a life with and around. Don’t let legal loopholes, family members that will never fully understand that love is love, or guardianship issues get in the way you crafting your legacy. It’s never too early to get started on your estate plan (with my free, no-obligation) estate plan questionnaire. I’m always happy to discuss the topic over the phone (515) 371-6077 or via email.

April 17, 2019/by Gordon Fischer