Can I benefit from getting a tax exempt receipt for a Ma’aser donation?

 

Question:

If I donate the proper amount of Ma’aser to a tzedaka organization and, after receiving the full amount, that organization sends me a tax-exempt receipt which might help me save on tax payments to the government (for having contributed to a non-profit). Am I allowed to benefit from that receipt and save on tax payments?

 

Answer:

Maaser is 10% (and Chomesh is 20%) of the net income.

One may keep any tax credit that came about due to tzedaka donations, and even funds given with the purpose of reduce taxes qualifies as maaser.

At the same time, if you receive a credit on the tax, based on your charity donations, then your net income is higher, and masser should be calculated accordingly.

Put differently: when receiving credit from the tax department, you must give maaser from this new income.

 

Sources:

ראה שו״ת אג״מ יו״ד א קמג. מנח״י ה, לד, ט-יו״ד. (וראה שו״ת אבני ישפה ב יו״ד עז). משנת המשפט ע׳ פה בהערה ריז וריח. שם ע׳ תסח בהערה קפז. וראה צדקה ומשפט ה, הע׳ לו.

 

 

#5736