Tax Write-Offs For Free (As In Speech) Work? 198
deuist writes "Several years ago I wrote a book called The Not So Short Introduction to Getting Into Medical School (PDF) and released it online under a Creative Commons license. I have been asked several times to publish the text so that I can make money off of it. The book has become quite famous among pre-med students and is now available from the Princeton Review as a free CD that is given to pre-medical interest groups. My question to the Slashdot community involves claiming this work as volunteering for tax purposes. Have any of you had any success with releasing free software and then writing off your time when April 15 rolls around?"
Let me be the first to say (Score:2, Funny)
In Soviet Russia, ALL work gets paid (useless or not) ...not that your work is useless. If people are looking at it and using it and telling you to publish, you should probably do it if you want the money. If your writing was utter trash and you tried to publish it (or it actaully got published) then you wouldn't get paid for poor quality work.
The idea that you get a tax rebates for voluntarily working on something is interesting, but do taxpayers want to pay for this kind of work?
I would like to know what others think about this as I just graduated (today, in fact) form school with a CS degree. I was pondering doing some OSS work to get some experience in some form of team-ish software development. It would be nice if I could make money from the gov't for that.
This would be a non-issue if we had... (Score:0, Funny)
The Fair Tax. [fairtax.org]
Ask not... (Score:4, Funny)
FOSS does not qualify in any case (Score:1, Funny)
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/ar02.html#d0e1210
Contributions to Nonqualified Organizations
You cannot deduct contributions to organizations that are not qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions, including the following.
4. Communist organizations.
Ka-ching!
*dons suit of resistance to acid and flame*
Re:I write off thousands every year to OSS (Score:5, Funny)
Well, I have some advice... (Score:4, Funny)
and I think it may even be good advice. What is it worth to you though?
I was going to give it at no cost, but then I checked the license on your book and it has the NC clause in it.
So, Use BY-SA or BY instead and drop the NC and I will give the advice gratis. Or let me know if you are interested in paying for some advice.
I know this may sound snarky, but it is not meant in that way.
all the best,
drew