Youth Camp & Parent offerings

by angela
(baton rouge, la)

Our small church sends our kids & youth to camp every year. We initially pay the full amount for the camp registration. We then hold a fundraiser to offset some of the costs. The final breakdown is as follows:

The church pays for 1/2 of the fee, then the remaining 1/2 is reduced by the fundraiser, and then the final cost for each camp attendee is determined.

The parents of the camp attendee then submit their portion to the church.

Is this parents portion tax-deductible since the church has already paid all of the fees and these "payments" are going in the church's general fund (which is where the initial payment of the full camp fees were paid from)?



Second, if a parent, due to medical reasons, has to attend camp with their child and pays their own fee, that would definitely not be tax deductible correct?

Comments for Youth Camp & Parent offerings

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Aug 03, 2012
 Youth Camp Payments Deductible?
by: Anonymous in NC

The question here could be, how does the youth camp trip tie into the mission of the church? It is my understanding if you get something tangible (in this case a trip to youth camp) in return for your contribution to the church then your contribution for that would not be tax deductible; one would just be buying a youth camping trip through the church. Sorry, this is most likely not the answer you were looking for.
Aug 03, 2012
 To Deduct or Not Deduct???
by: Marcusintexas

A contribution / gift / donation to any organization that is designated to benefit a specific individual is not deductible. For example, as a grandparent, I cannot send money for a "scholarship" designated for my granddaughter to the university she attends; however, I may be able to deduct money I donate to a general scholarship fund at the same university which any student, including my granddaughter, may be eligible to compete for---at least that is my understanding. It would seem that if a church member who has no child or grandchild attending the youth camp makes a contribution to the church "youth camp fund" and intends for that donation to be used for any child attending the camp, and does not designate any specific person to benefit, then that contribution should deductible. However, a parent making a donation to allow their own child to attend the youth camp should not be able to deduct whatever amount is given, whether the full cost or only the partial cost.
Aug 15, 2012
 Add'l info to original question
by: Angela

We, as the church, pay for all slots of camp. No matter what, the child is paid for and will get to go to camp. What the parents give, is towards the mission of the church in sending all children to camp.

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