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msgbartop
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21 Jun 09 Getting a product discount and donating to the same nonprofit?

Okay, my children go to a religious elementary school which is a valid nonprofit organization.

I get a tuition discount from them.

Can I donate to the school and deduct the donation from my taxes? I know that I can’t deduct tuition.

There is currently no agreement (written, oral, or even suggested) that a donation is any kind of compensation for my tuition discount.

My questions are:
1) Can I deduct the contribution?
2) Even if it is legal (or illegal) to deduct the contribution, what is the likelihood that the IRS would investigate myself or the school as a result of doing this?
3) Can I use my donations as a bargaining point for bigger tuition reductions in the future? Presumably, they would get more money if they lower my tuition and I donate more, due to tax deductibility.

–Adam
The tuition deduction is need-based and arbitrary – they don’t have a mathematical formula for deductions of this type.

The donations would not be large in comparison to others the institution receives.

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