- quote -

No. The [unreimbursed] expense was not incurred by the
taxpayer who had the travel. Paying someone else's expenses
is a gift and gifts not in the course of business of the
donor are not deductible for income tax purposes at all.
[Gifts given in the course of business of the donor have a
$25/person-year limit and do not constitute charity.]

The [unreimbursed] expense is not deductible by the soldier
because he didn't pay for it, regardless of whether
reimbursement was available but not sought or otherwise.

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NOTICE: This is the final post in this thread <period
g82martin[at]msn.com (Greg) wrote:

- quote -

I participate here because I like to help people when I can.
But I refuse to give my time free to someone who thinks he
deserves it and demands more and more and more.

While perhaps not the best response to your initial post,
Harlan asked why you would think you could write it off.
It's a legitimate question.

Your post was very, very brief. Because your question was
so far off of what is normal in tax preparation circles,
that it raises the issue of whether there are things going
on that you did not disclose or know are important.

I don't know about anybody else, but when a question is too
vague, I can't spend hours speculating about all the
different scenarios that are possible and how they could all
come out. Well, unless you want to pay me for the time.

This is not arrogance. This is setting reasonable
boundaries and sticking to them.

Stu

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"Greg" <g82martin[at]msn.com> wrote:
- quote -

I am a little surprised at how hostile this tread has
gotten... it seems everyone "assumed" these were just
novelty gift items.. from what I have read in the news many
soldiers are getting "necessities" from home because the
military was ill prepared for this whole thing. That being
the case I think he is asking if these "necessities" could
be considered unreimbursed travel expenses.

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"D. Stussy" <kd6lvw[at]bde-arc.ampr.org> wrote:
- quote -

I don't care if it's free advice or not. Some of the experts
in these news groups are arrogant as far as I'm concerned.
People ask questions and expect answers and explanations. I
see this arrogance a lot on here. The fact that this
question has caused some debate seems to me that it deserved
a response other than the one that it was given.

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"Andy in Fink" <jungleandy[at]hotmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

NO! Don't suggest that -- he'll want to know if he can
deduct it.

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You got an accurate, and concise answer. It was worth
every cent you paid for it. What do you expect ?

Send Harlan some money, and I'll bet he'll give you a
full page of reasons....

Andy

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g82martin[at]msn.com (Greg) wrote:
- quote -

Maybe you should ask your peers then, or even better their "tax reps".
Harlan's response being the only one you received may be an indication
that there is nothing in the tax code to support what you have heard.

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- quote -

Ah' the ingratitude of someone seeking free advice! What
else could he have said to be more polite to a rough and
tough soldier with such easily bruised sensibilities. I bet
you just broke down and cried when the the folks you were
fighting called your mother names.

- quote -

Well then describe what you think they are doing, why they
think they can get away with it and ask if it is okay.

- quote -

What, like "Your FUBAR." Get a life. I have been in combat
with the U.S. Army too and getting shot did not make me
impolite.

All freely provided advice guarantee correct or double your
money back

Frank S. Duke, Jr. CPA
Cincinnati, OH USA

================================================== ==========
Moderator:
My apologies for letting the 3rd comment get past me.
================================================== ==========

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Nan Eklund wrote:

- quote -

But I can see an arrangement through a recognized charity
that could result in a charitable deduction. Think of the
words Kidney Foundation and Israel.

--
Frederick E. Jorden http://Tax-Accounting-Payroll.com
7825 Midlothian Tpk - 207 Richmond, VA 23235-5247
EMAIL knowtax[at]bigfoot.com
(804) 320-6210 FAX (804) 320-6211

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Dick Adams wrote:

- quote -

Huh? Cash contributions are an AMT item? Since when?

Last I noted, cash doesn't appreciate in value, so the
"appreciated property charitable deduction" preference item
doesn't apply to it.

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Nan Eklund wrote:

- quote -

In this case, it depends on HOW it was given. If this was a
package, designated for some RANDOM soldier (or unit) that
was delivered via a qualified charity, then it counts as a
contribution and is deductible.

Contributions to SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS have never been
deductible.

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naneklund[at]aol.com (Nan Eklund) wrote:

- quote -

Well, never say never. It could be deductible if made
through a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent acting within the scope of
its exempt purpose.

Stu

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If you send a gift to an individual member of the military
serving in Irag, Afganistan, et al, I bless you, but it's
a gift directed to an individual and that is not deductible
on any tax schedule.

Now, if you give money to the USO or the Red Cross, that is
deductible (if you itemize), but it is subject to AMT - one
more reason AMT sucks!

Dick

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We learn in Income Tax 101 that there are some basics that
come even before that....

"Unless it's specifically exempted in the CODE, it's taxable" ...
and
"Unless it's specifically listed in the CODE, it's not deductible".

"Their tax reps" didn't get as far as Income Tax 101.....A gift
is not, ever, deductible in any way, shape or manner.

Nan, EA in LA

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Greg <g82martin[at]msn.com> wrote:

- quote -

Then you should check with those sources.

MTW

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Harlan Lunsford <lunstax[at]bellsouth.net> wrote:
- quote -

Thanks for the nice explanation A-Hole! I'm not an
accountant and have heard that my peers were writing off
these expenses through their tax reps. I was looking for
perhaps a more intellectual response than "Heck no".

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Greg wrote:

- quote -

Heck no. Why on earth would you think so?

Cheer$$$$$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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I was in Iraq last year with the US Army. While there, my
wife sent me several packages. Can I write these expenses
off?

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