The Dark Side of Charity: When Giving Back Goes Wrong The idea of charitable giving is often romanticized as a selfless act, but the reality is more complex, particularly when it comes to non cash donations like boats, art, and even taxidermy.
Tax lawyer Colleen Spain has seen an uptick in the IRS cracking down on these types of gifts, raising questions about the motivations behind charitable giving.
One issue with non cash donations is that they present a significant burden to charities, requiring extra paperwork to satisfy the IRS. As Spain notes, "a simple cash donation" is often less burdensome.