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OT: Spam Calls.....

Those are real charities though. These spam calls are legit fraud. I get several calls for "senior benefits" every day and I'm not a senior citizen.
So what? I'm sick of charities too, I just say that whatever I'm doing is more important than your charity so I'm hanging up, stop wasting your breath, there's one where I can tell it's the same guy every time, I just say you again, I told you to stop calling and just hang up after saying I don't care about the veterans, fire fighters or police :)
 
That is strange, I get very few calls from Pitt. There is usually a call preceding the annual day of giving, usually from a student. Maybe a call or two a year from athletics to remind me about renewing season tickets. They leave a message and never call back.
Maybe it depends on the area of the university in which you donate. I donate to a specific Pitt program, not general fund or athletics.
 
Charities are relentless. I stopped caring about the tax break and do all of my charitable giving other than my Pitt donation anonymously.
It doesn't even matter if you donate to Pitt anonymously. That only prevents your name from being listed on the giving site as a donor. They will still collect your credit card billing info and add you to their mailing and call list. I wish they would stop wasting money on physically mailing paraphernalia that I file in the trash 🗑, but I guess maybe it pays for itself when they a get a big donation from an old timer that's not as digitally inclined.
 
Maybe it depends on the area of the university in which you donate. I donate to a specific Pitt program, not general fund or athletics.
That's interesting...I've given to a lot of different areas, but they seem to go out of their way not to over do it. But I usually never pick up phone calls because I'm usually in the middle of something. I have to say, this year after a very modest gift...only $100... to my home undergrad academic department, which is not that small of a Dept, and I received a handwritten thank you card from the Dept Chair. That wasn't the first time I had given such a donation, but that may be the first time I've ever gotten something so personal back for something so small, but certainly I think it very much depends, like you say, on the specific program or who is running things.

Individual academic departments should be targeting their alumni for engagement...so much more effective and personal, IMO, than getting generic correspondences about the general fund, etc. My old home Dept earned an increased donation next year.
 
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BS

Some people bundle two fiscal years of charitable donations (Pitt's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30) into one calendar year and then itemize their federal taxes every other year.

E.g. Pitt's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30th: 2023 fiscal year donations in January 2024; 2024 fiscal year donations in December 2024. Itemize on 2024 tax return. Standard deduction in 2025. Repeat in 2026 and itemize.

Please stop posting incorrect and misleading information. Forgot who I'm responding to. Ok, back on ignore.

My bad, its 9% of people who can write off charitable contributions.

 
It's not that you can't itemize any more, it's that they made it so that you (and almost everyone else) save money by not itemizing. You could absolutely not take the standard deduction on your taxes next year, and that would give you the ability to write off your charitable contributions.

And pay more taxes.

Which would be kind of stupid, but apparently would make you feel better.

As to not paying taxes on money you send to a charity, an even better idea would be to get the federal government entirely out of that sort of thing in the first place. Whether someone donates to a charity or not is none of the federal government's business. And the tax code should reflect that.

And besides, the whole point of charity is that you aren't getting anything in return for your contribution (other than good feelings). If you take a tax deduction then it isn't charity any more. It's paying money in exchange for something else. No different than any other business transaction.

There are some people who are actually paying more in taxes under this "tax cut" act and its not the millionaires and billionaires. Lets say you have a married couple making 300K combined, kids are grown, 12K local income tax, 15K property taxes, 10K mortgage interest, 3000, charitable deductions. That couple can only take the 27K standard deduction and not the 40K itemized deduction because they can only claim 23K in itemized deductions, not the full 40K. So that couple is less incented to give to charity. I'm not saying that people only give to charity when you get a tax deduction for it but when you know you are getting $30 back for every $100 you give, you are more likely to donate.

There are many upper middle class families paying more since this tax act came out and while there wont be any tears shed for these people who are well-off living in million dollar homes, they arent "rich rich" like the billionaires. Its the VP at some manufacturing plant and his wife who is a principal at a HS.
 
So that couple is less incented to give to charity. I'm not saying that people only give to charity when you get a tax deduction for it but when you know you are getting $30 back for every $100 you give, you are more likely to donate.


Then it's not charity. And you shouldn't get a tax deduction for it.
 
Then it's not charity. And you shouldn't get a tax deduction for it.

The stance that charitable contributions shouldn't be deductible is fine. However, you cant allow it and then make it only available for millionaires. David Tepper shouldn't be able to write off his 50K annual contribution but then you not be allowed to write off your $500 contribution. And dont say people can choose to itemize and deduct it and then pay more in taxes. No one does that. You know what I mean. The charitable deduction is effectively only available to the very wealthy and that's wrong. Get rid of it then.
 
My bad, its 9% of people who can write off charitable contributions.

Per the Brookings Institute, only 21% of filers itemized before the 2017 increase in the standard deduction. The 2023 rate of itemization was actually 10%. So the change in filers that itemize has been an 11% drop of total filers. In other words, 79% of filers weren't itemizing previously anyway and are getting a larger standard deduction now.

Regardless, giving to the university, including on non-seating requirement athletic giving, is deductible if you itemize.
 
You dont get a tax break anymore thanks to the 2017 tax act
It has been a long time since I started donating anonymously. Made a decent donation to a charity that my son's school was supporting one year. I can't remember how much, probably in the $250 to $500 range as that is around what I'd typically give to a good cause that my kids are enlisted to raise money for. But then they hounded me with tons of mailers and phone calls after that. Extremely aggressive too. Probably spent more than the $ I gave trying to get another donation out of me. Because of them, I now donate anonymously and my main donations always go to the same places that address things that have touched our family.
 
Back to the original topic: If you are on the do not call list, the only companies who can call you are non-profits, correct? So when you get these calls for a new auto warranty, its not just some overagressive legit company trying to sell you a very bad deal, its outright fraud. Right?
 
Back to the original topic: If you are on the do not call list, the only companies who can call you are non-profits, correct? So when you get these calls for a new auto warranty, its not just some overagressive legit company trying to sell you a very bad deal, its outright fraud. Right?
I believe so. But who has the time to pursue it?

I get calls on a semi-regular basis from companies asking me if I'd like to sell my house because they have buyers interested in my town/neighborhood. I assume those are also not permitted since I'm on the do not call list? Or is there a loophole that if they aren't trying to sell me anything that it is ok?
 
If I don't recognize the number or it isn't a number in my database on my phone, I don't answer it. If they really need something or it's legitimate, they'll leave a message and I can choose to call back or not. Then I go on the list of numbers that called me that I don't recognize and swipe left and block them.

I seldom get spam calls any longer.
 
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As to not paying taxes on money you send to a charity, an even better idea would be to get the federal government entirely out of that sort of thing in the first place. Whether someone donates to a charity or not is none of the federal government's business. And the tax code should reflect that.
There is a long and sorted history behind the government's involvement in charities that lies somewhere between the popularity of charitable associations in the community and the temptation for their leadership to try to make money with them.
 
There is a long and sorted history behind the government's involvement in charities that lies somewhere between the popularity of charitable associations in the community and the temptation for their leadership to try to make money with them.
Yep. I remember when this legislation went into effect. They carved out an exemption for political action committees, which is where 95% of the first responder robocalls come from. The money doesn't go to the police, fire or rescue workers. It goes towards the re-election campaign of whichever politician is behind the PAC.
 
If I don't recognize the number or it isn't a number in my database on my phone, I don't answer it. If they really need something or it's legitimate, they'll leave a message and I can choose to call back or not. Then I go on the list of numbers that called me that I don't recognize and swipe left and block them.

I seldom get spam calls any longer.
Yes. I try to do this. But again, I am in sales. And somehow these spam/spoof companies know what area codes/numbers I have visited and talked to and they spoof these numbers.

I mean, I ordered new dog walking harnesses off of Amazon and all of a sudden my Facebook timeline is just inundated with dog collar ads. It is really scary if you think of it. Ted Kasinski was right about alot of this.
 
Yes. I try to do this. But again, I am in sales. And somehow these spam/spoof companies know what area codes/numbers I have visited and talked to and they spoof these numbers.

I mean, I ordered new dog walking harnesses off of Amazon and all of a sudden my Facebook timeline is just inundated with dog collar ads. It is really scary if you think of it. Ted Kasinski was right about alot of this.

My algorithm is filled with NIL info. Keep getting hit now with Happy Valley United. They are making some push to "retain" players. Marketing it heavily right now.
 
Yes. I try to do this. But again, I am in sales. And somehow these spam/spoof companies know what area codes/numbers I have visited and talked to and they spoof these numbers.

I mean, I ordered new dog walking harnesses off of Amazon and all of a sudden my Facebook timeline is just inundated with dog collar ads. It is really scary if you think of it. Ted Kasinski was right about alot of this.

Yep. If you use a cell phone, someone somewhere has your buying preferences and is invading your privacy. They're relentless.
 
I believe so. But who has the time to pursue it?

I get calls on a semi-regular basis from companies asking me if I'd like to sell my house because they have buyers interested in my town/neighborhood. I assume those are also not permitted since I'm on the do not call list? Or is there a loophole that if they aren't trying to sell me anything that it is ok?
No loophole. They either don’t care (wholesalers who are buying lists, and often using virtual assistants out of the country) or don’t know (your average dumb Realtor who thinks cold calling is allowed)
 
No loophole. They either don’t care (wholesalers who are buying lists, and often using virtual assistants out of the country) or don’t know (your average dumb Realtor who thinks cold calling is allowed)

No, I dont think they can call to sell you something. Calling with an offer to buy something from you, such as your house, doesn’t fall under the list, I dont think. Not sure companies you have an existing relationship count either. So your bank can call you and ask if you need a loan to pay for the next big portal recruit.
 
Per the Brookings Institute, only 21% of filers itemized before the 2017 increase in the standard deduction. The 2023 rate of itemization was actually 10%. So the change in filers that itemize has been an 11% drop of total filers. In other words, 79% of filers weren't itemizing previously anyway and are getting a larger standard deduction now.


And to go a step further, that means that 90% of tax payers are better off with the larger standard deduction rather than itemizing. But it makes SMF mad, because he'd rather see all his charitable contributions listed on his tax form, even if it causes him to pay more taxes.

Because that's how he rolls.
 
And to go a step further, that means that 90% of tax payers are better off with the larger standard deduction rather than itemizing. But it makes SMF mad, because he'd rather see all his charitable contributions listed on his tax form, even if it causes him to pay more taxes.

Because that's how he rolls.

No. I just want to be able to deduct the full amount of my property taxes, state taxes, and local taxes. Then myself and many folks like me would be better off taking the itemized deduction because it would be larger than the standard deduction.
 
No. I just want to be able to deduct the full amount of my property taxes, state taxes, and local taxes. Then myself and many folks like me would be better off taking the itemized deduction because it would be larger than the standard deduction.


It would be even better if you got to deduct none of those things.

Your income tax should be based on your income. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want to live in a high tax state someone who lives in a low tax state should not be required to subsidize your choice. If you want to donate money to your favorite cause someone who doesn't believe in your cause should not have to subsidize your choice.

It would be far, far better if your, and everyone else's, federal income tax form was the size of a post card.
 
It would be even better if you got to deduct none of those things.

Your income tax should be based on your income. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want to live in a high tax state someone who lives in a low tax state should not be required to subsidize your choice. If you want to donate money to your favorite cause someone who doesn't believe in your cause should not have to subsidize your choice.

It would be far, far better if your, and everyone else's, federal income tax form was the size of a post card.

And that's fine but they allow a teacher to take a straight deduction off of some posters she buys for her class and various other straight-line deductions but giving money to St. Jude's? Sorry, no deduction for you. At least be consistent. Tepper shouldn't get to deduct his donation but you cant. Its far too inconsistent. If they made it simple as you suggest, I'd be fine with that but poor poor upper middle class got shafted with these "tax cuts." As I said, some people, not a very high percentage are paying more and that's flat wrong.
 
OK. I am getting just inundated with spam calls from whatever. Constantly. Over and Over and Over again. I finally found a way to fight back. I called back the number...and actual people answered. I told them I am Guido's Pizza and I need to know where to deliver the pizza they ordered. They would say "this is a business" and I would say "businesses order pizza for lunch and you called me". The guy would get pissed and finally hang up. So I called again, and again, and again...19 total times. I finally would get an operator, and she said "we are a business" I would say "I know I am in the lobby with the pizza I need to know where to deliver", She would respond, "we didnt call you" I said "Yes you did I have the record of it on my phone".

Here's the best thing...they were a timeshare operation, we all know how much of a scam it is....and I just kept on calling and calling. I don't know if this got my number off of their call list, but it was extremely satisfying considering the number of spam calls I get. I am in sales, I have to answer. So...in fact, I think I am calling again. I think they ordered Chinese food this time!!!
You’ve got too much free time in your hands
 
It would be even better if you got to deduct none of those things.

Your income tax should be based on your income. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want to live in a high tax state someone who lives in a low tax state should not be required to subsidize your choice. If you want to donate money to your favorite cause someone who doesn't believe in your cause should not have to subsidize your choice.

It would be far, far better if your, and everyone else's, federal income tax form was the size of a post card.
Correct
No return
It’s just removed based on a % of your income .
End of story

That includes mortgages and having children etc too

It’s why people feel like suckers for actually paying their taxes
 
It would be even better if you got to deduct none of those things.

Your income tax should be based on your income. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want to live in a high tax state someone who lives in a low tax state should not be required to subsidize your choice. If you want to donate money to your favorite cause someone who doesn't believe in your cause should not have to subsidize your choice.

It would be far, far better if your, and everyone else's, federal income tax form was the size of a post card.
My brother would disagree with you. But he's a tax accountant. He loves tax law changes and particularly ones that make it more complicated.
He made/makes big bucks with a cloud based web electronic submission system his firm developed for clients to submit information to and the system generates the returns. They mostly work with small businesses, but also do individual returns. They licence their system to other firms and he's done pretty well.
But yeah, less complicated tax reporting would benefit most.
 
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No. I just want to be able to deduct the full amount of my property taxes, state taxes, and local taxes. Then myself and many folks like me would be better off taking the itemized deduction because it would be larger than the standard deduction.
New Zealand says hold my beer. They actually tax your tax. You pay GST (national goods and services tax--like a sales tax) on tax.
 
Well a few of them are with recognizable companies, so at least some of it is legitimately outsourced becasue Americans don't want to work anymore.
That’s not why it’s outsourced
It’s because these companies rather pay slave wages.
There isn’t a shortage of workers
Just better options for workers to make more .
 
That’s not why it’s outsourced
It’s because these companies rather pay slave wages.
There isn’t a shortage of workers
Just better options for workers to make more .

I dunno... we're desperately trying to hire where I work. I was told they can't even get people to clink on the link (they receive an email notification when someone does). And we pay pretty competitively.

But yes, some of it is cheap labor obviously. I wasn't being entirely serious with that.
 
I dunno... we're desperately trying to hire where I work. I was told they can't even get people to clink on the link (they receive an email notification when someone does). And we pay pretty competitively.

But yes, some of it is cheap labor obviously. I wasn't being entirely serious with that.
Sounds like your place is offering a crappy paying job .
If you were actually competitive you’d have plenty of applicants
The market doesn’t lie .
 
Sounds like your place is offering a crappy paying job .
If you were actually competitive you’d have plenty of applicants
The market doesn’t lie .

I don't know. A lot of people who work here quit a specific large corporation to come here because of pay. And I don't think the ad even mentions salary, actually, so the discussions aren't even getting that far, it seems.
 
I don't know. A lot of people who work here quit a specific large corporation to come here because of pay. And I don't think the ad even mentions salary, actually, so the discussions aren't even getting that far, it seems.
Post the salary range , hours , and benefits .
If you aren’t putting that info in a job posting - informed workers aren’t interested .
 
Correct
No return
It’s just removed based on a % of your income .
End of story

That includes mortgages and having children etc too

It’s why people feel like suckers for actually paying their taxes


It's all just a way for politicians to pander to voters.

But what most voters don't seem to get is that the politicians are helping out their rich buddies more than they are helping them. They're happy that they got an extra dollar, and never mind the fact that they are giving someone else a hundred. I got a dollar! Lucky me!

And then you have people like SMF, who would apparently rather itemize his deductions and pay more taxes than not itemize them and pay less. I believe the technical name for people like that is "ill-informed".

The non-technical name wouldn't be nearly so polite.
 
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You’ve got too much free time in your hands
No. It was strictly frustration + alcohol + sitting there watching TV. Too much time on my hands? Go to the streaming threads where it seems like all of the budding Lair Cecil B DeMilles watch like 25 different streaming shows a week.
 
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