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I have a question on non-profits in general. What exactly is the advantage of being incorporated as a non-profit, when all you have to do to not be taxed as a for-profit corporation is spend all your money each year and not show any profit? It seems you'd have more privacy as a for-profit corporation, since you don't have to disclose donors.

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snowwrestler an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Nonprofits have privacy too:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP_v._Alabama

That said, there are a lot of operational advantages to being a for-profit corporation. Chan-Zuckerberg is organized this way. Other nonprofits try to have it both ways where the for-profit entity operates the business while being owned by a nonprofit. It has not worked out great for OpenAI. Patagonia converted to this model recently.

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hollerith 17 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If I donate to a 501(c)(3) organization, the donation gets very favorable treatment by the tax code, reducing my taxes (provided I have income that can be cancelled out by the donation).

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0x457 16 hours ago | parent [-]

hmm, please correct me if I'm wrong, but donations just decrease your tax liability by the amount you've donated. It's the same as if you donated your pre-tax dollars to 501(c)(3) org.

	▲	toast0 14 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		The second sentence is mostly accurate, but the first implies something else. If your taxable income was $50,000 and you donate $10,000, and (some other conditions) your taxable income would now be $40,000; same as if you managed to move the money pre-tax. However. If you donate aprechiated capital assets, you get two benefits. Your taxable income is offset by the value of the asset, and the capital gains disappear. It's much better than selling the asset and donating the proceeds; and it's handy if you don't have good records for your cost basis.
	▲	bluGill 6 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Right but you get to choose where your money goes.
	▲	15 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		[deleted]

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dragonwriter 17 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Charity non-profits -- 501c3 organizations -- have donations that are tax deductible for their donors. Other kinds of nonprofits have other advantages to their stakeholders, but usually the attention around "nonprofits" is specifically about 501c3 orgs.

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droopyEyelids 17 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Eligibility to receive grants & tax deductible donations, public perception & credibility