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U.S.
Members: Deduct Your STC Dues
(Reprinted
from the November 2005 issue of Tielines, an STC publication.)
If you pay taxes
in the United States, keep in mind that STC dues are tax deductible.
Please note, however, that dues must be deducted from the tax return
filed for the year in which they were paid. In other words, dues
paid in 2005 may be deducted only from 2005 tax returns. Therefore,
if you pay your 2006 dues on or before December 31, 2005, these
dues can be deducted only from your 2005 return. Members who have
questions should contact their local IRS office or their accountant.
You can
claim dues as a deduction in several ways: as a charitable expense,
a business expense, or a miscellaneous deduction.
Charitable Expense
All STC members who pay taxes in the United States can deduct at
least a portion of their STC dues if they claim this portion as
a charitable donation. IRS publications 526 (rev. 2003) and 17 define
this option:
You may be able to deduct membership fees or dues you pay to a qualified
organization. However, you can deduct only the amount that is more
than the value of the benefits you receive.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, STC is a qualified organization. To
determine the amount of charitable contribution you may claim, subtract
the cost of tangible benefits you receive from STC from the amount
of dues you paid in 2005. STC's tangible benefits can be estimated
at $30 per year: $15 for the Society's quarterly journal, Technical
Communication, and $15 for the magazine, Intercom.
The amount of dues you paid depends on your membership category.
Classic members and limited members determine their charitable contribution
by subtracting the cost of tangible benefits ($30) from the cost
of dues for 2005 ($145 for classic members, $125 for limited members).
Because student members and e-members do not receive printed versions
of Technical Communication or Intercom, they do
not receive tangible benefits, and may deduct the full amount of
dues for 2005: $135 for e-members and $50 for student members.
Tables 1 and
2 will help most members determine their charitable contribution.
Please note: If you received prorated credit from STC toward your
dues, your dues and charitable contribution will differ from the
amounts listed below.
Table 1.
| Charitable
Contributions for 2005 STC Dues |
| Membership
Category |
2005
Dues |
Tangible
Benefits |
Charitable
Contribution |
| Classic |
$145.00 |
$30.00 |
$115.00 |
| E-membership |
135.00 |
0 |
135.00 |
| Limited |
125.00 |
30.00 |
95.00 |
| Retired |
72.50 |
30.00 |
42.50 |
| Student |
50.00 |
0 |
50.00 |
Table 2.
| Charitable
Contributions for 2006 STC Dues |
| Membership
Category |
2006
Dues |
Tangible
Benefits |
Charitable
Contribution |
| Classic |
$150.00 |
$30.00 |
$120.00 |
| E-membership |
140.00 |
0 |
140.00 |
| Limited |
130.00 |
30.00 |
100.00 |
| Retired |
75.00 |
30.00 |
45.00 |
| Student |
55.00 |
0 |
55.00 |
Business
Expense
Employers and self-employed consultants may claim the full amount
of dues as a business expense.
Miscellaneous Deduction
Those who do not fall into the categories defined above may claim
the amount of dues as a miscellaneous deduction. (For miscellaneous
deductions to affect taxes, the total amount of miscellaneous deductions
must exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.)
Money, Not Time
Please be aware that while dues, contributions, and out-of-pocket
expenses may be deducted, personal services may not.
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