Discussion:Noncash Contributions - HAIR DONATION

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Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Noncash Contributions - HAIR DONATION

Tas46 (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
My client recently donated her daughter's hair to "Locks of Love". Would this be considered for a noncash contribution on Form 8283? Any one ever taken this? If so, what values did you use? Thanks.

Deback (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
What was the FMV of the hair?

Tas46 (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
Estimated between $750-$1000 depending on the online auction you were to view.

Deback (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
I've never had a hair donation before, but check out Publication 526, pages 7 and 17-18. Also, see Form 8283 instructions.

Dennis (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
A topic more worthy of April than January. Decedent donates his organs. Deduction on the 706? Give me a break.

Pegoo (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
If it is deductible, Locks of Love will send your client a letter with the amount they can deduct.

Taxman 55 (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
C'mon folks! No deduction for donating body parts! If there were, the blood banks (or how about the sperm banks) wouldn't have quite as much problem getting donations.

Now for an interesting twist to it. How about if the parent bought the hair from the child and then donated the hair. At that point the hair has a basis of the amount paid.

Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
Ah, Dennis, but what about if I donate a kidney while I am alive? :) I read that one retired sports figure donated a kidney to an ex-teammate, and he and the teammate were not good friends. The donator was not that old, so do we do an actuarial computation of its value? Thank goodness it is January.

JR1 (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
What if you become a kidney farmer? Growing replacement kidneys...surely there's something in that? At least the cost of production. Oh, and the production credit.

Bottom Line (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
I think that's called cloning

Dennis (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
Self-created work?♫

Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
If this were 1982 someone would come up with a kidney farming shelter. Seriously, folks, it's easy to explain to clients why the value of services is not deductible, but kidneys, hair, etc is tangible. I see a new field coming: body part appraisers, though I suspect under the new law, the deduction would be thrown out unless it was in good condition.

Dennis (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
Oh come on. Hair may be unusual, but all of you have clients who give blood. Anyone taking a charitable deduction?♫

Corptaxhelp (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
How do you depreciate a kidney?


I donated my hair to Locks of Love several years back (when I still had hair to donate). Aside from the fact that the IRS doesn't allow body parts as tax deductions, until the hair is processed and made into a wig, it has very little value. (If hair had marketable value, barbers would be selling their sweepings.)

JR1 (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
LOL!!!! Think of the tax savings for a barber...of course, those aren't HIS clippings, are they? Sort of like customers who drop off old shoes at the shoe repair shop who donates them to a resale shop...

Bottom Line (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
We get the floor sweepings from barbershops to spread around our garden. Stops the raccoons from eating our tomatos. Seems they don't like the smell. Onions work too

Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said:

12 January 2007
Imagine if it were someone famous' real hair, as opposed to a rug....maybe the barber can get charity if he holds the hair a year....donating capital gain property with zero cost

JR1 (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
And I think we should 1099 anything that eats or steals your tomatoes.

Corptaxhelp (talk|edits) said:

January 12, 2007
Stolen tomatoes seems more like a form 4684.

Tas46 (talk|edits) said:

15 January 2007
It is great to see that some accountants have a great sense of humor!

Bottom Line (talk|edits) said:

15 January 2007
Pesky little buggers. We have to put bungie cords on the garbage cans to keep them out. They get in fights in the backyard. Sounds like a cat fight and they're so loud they wake us up!

Sw (talk|edits) said:

15 January 2007
I know several people that has given hair to Locks of Love no one ever ask this question. But I agree they would need a letter from Locks of Love. Not happening.

CpaButNotTaxAccountant (talk|edits) said:

2008-03-28
Locks of Love website answer: Please check with your tax preparer. We cannot place a monetary value on a ponytail. (http://www.locksoflove.org/faq.html#Aa16)

Wigs For Kids website answer: Although your hair donation is not tax deductible, the cost of the haircut and the mileage to travel to donate the hair is. This card acknowledges that we have received your hair donation. We cannot provide a tax receipt. Please contact your accountant for further information. (http://www.wigsforkids.org/faq/questions-about-hair-donations/questions-about-hair-donations/)

Taxwizard (talk|edits) said:

28 March 2008
The general rule for donations of property is that you must reduce the deduction by the amount that would not be long-term capital gain if the property had been sold at fmv. Thus, all donations of locks that are less than one-year old would be limited to basis.

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