Apple Accepting Donations for Louisiana Flood Relief

[citysnaps]

Hello, I'm a multi Billionaire who wants to make out I'm generous to good causes.

Please give me some of YOUR hard earned money, so I can tell the media I'm giving this to a charity.

makes you feel sick does it not

No, because that's not what's happening. OTOH, feel free to make stuff up. There may be a few people who are not able to read and understand what's going on.

 

[macfacts]

I have never heard of a corporation promoting a fund raiser like this taking a slice of the donations. Do you have some examples?

Again, do you seriously think Apple is getting a percentage of what people donate to the Red Cross as part of this?

Apple is a very greedy corporation. I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to think that Apple might take a cut.

I read the details and Apple doesn't take a cut but Apple doesn't give you a receipt either so you can't use the donation for tax purposes. The donations are made under Apple's name.
[doublepost=1471661019][/doublepost]

Please back up your claim that Apple is doing that here with substantiation.

Read the first post. Apple doesn't pass on your info to the red cross. Another loophole Apple is proud to take advantage of.

 

[Lershac]

Thanks apple, we lost our home and almost everything we own.

 

[jonnysods]

Just keep in mind before donating, the American Red Cross has a terrible track record of actually providing help. Good article about what they have accomplished in Haiti, worth the read. Search out a smaller charity that has some initiative beyond their executives salaries.

Also read about the efforts in Nepal to rebuild after the earthquake. Red cross aren't what they are cracked up to be.

 

[Karma*Police]

These donations would not be necessary if Tim Cooke and executives brought the Apple profits back into the United States and paid taxes on them as morality dictates. Looking for tax loopholes only benefit the executives who get bonuses. The stockholders (owners) don't see anything.

After all Apple is a US company where the executives and majority of employees live. Those executives have benefits massively from the government funded infrastructure. From the roads they and the employees drive on to the immunizations that they are protected with that were funded by NIH grant research. To the DARPA funded internet that Apple built so much business using, and those GPS that let the iPhones tell Apple customers why are. Yes those taxes would fund FEMA and National Guard that help those citizens that have experienced disasters.

1. Donations would still be necessary
2. No stockholder would want Apple to pay 40% taxes to repatriate their earnings when they've already paid taxes on international sales. Furthermore, their effective tax rate is over 30% and they're already the largest tax payer. The US government is being super greedy; it's the only developed nation that double dips.
3. The more taxes the government collects, the more they waste due to inefficiencies and pork barrel spending.
4. The more money Apple makes, the more jobs they create which results in more taxes being paid

 

[saudade]

I already gave my brothers a big donation. 2k today dud. Ill give more on Monday to my people. Respect & love guys

 

[Silver78]

raise your taxes.

wallmart will lower salary of employees by 2$ and donate 50% to louisiana ...rest will end in tax evasion.

can simply not understand why donations and charity for americans are needed in the "greatest" country on earth. children starving to death in africa I could understand.

people with homes loose them and help is mobilized while people while people without homes other 365 days of year gets no real help.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Apple is a very greedy corporation. I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to think that Apple might take a cut.

I read the details and Apple doesn't take a cut but Apple doesn't give you a receipt either so you can't use the donation for tax purposes. The donations are made under Apple's name.
[doublepost=1471661019][/doublepost]

Read the first post. Apple doesn't pass on your info to the red cross. Another loophole Apple is proud to take advantage of.

you people have no idea what you're talking about. absolutely clueless. please find whatever rock you crawled out from under and return to the nether regions.

 

[calaverasgrande]

I was in Louisiana for Katrina. If Red Cross was ever there, they are some kind of special super ninjas of dispensing aid. But for months after, they had no qualms using images from Katrina to beg for donations in TV ads.
I'll never donate money to them. They are a typical top heavy non-profit with a very well executed fund raising dept, and a vestigal 'actually doing our mission' dept.
I'd love to see what the executives take home pay is.

 

[Piggie]

No, because that's not what's happening. OTOH, feel free to make stuff up. There may be a few people who are not able to read and understand what's going on.

Really.

Well that's exactly how the story reads to me.

"Hello I'm Apple, I want some good PR advertising, at minimal cost to ourselves"
"We've added the ability for you to click on a button on our web site and YOUR money will be taken from your bank card and 100% of YOUR money sent to charity"
"Don't we look good doing this everyone?"

 

[Cineplex]

1. Donations would still be necessary
2. No stockholder would want Apple to pay 40% taxes to repatriate their earnings when they've already paid taxes on international sales. Furthermore, their effective tax rate is over 30% and they're already the largest tax payer. The US government is being super greedy; it's the only developed nation that double dips.
3. The more taxes the government collects, the more they waste due to inefficiencies and pork barrel spending.
4. The more money Apple makes, the more jobs they create which results in more taxes being paid

Apple only creates jobs when it opens a retail store. All of its job creation lately has been overseas....India maps center, China r&d, France r&d. They have probably caused a lot of job losses with all the acquisitions they've made in the US to steal tech and shut down the company.

 

[Cloudsurfer]

It's horrible what has happened over there, but I just can't wrap my head around something. Why is there a fund raiser for a first world country? Shouldn't the government help these people out and provide them with food and shelter?

If this was a developing country, I could understand. Funding a rich country, that can seemingly spend trillions on war, doesn't seem right.

 

[r3m1]

It is tacky to do this through the App Store channel - draw the crowd to your App Store they might make another purchase after donating money for a good cause - it feels like the candy that always sits next to the cash register when you check out.

It would have been an truly excellent move if Apple would have matched every donation done via the App Store - but I guess that's dreaming out loud in term of social responsibility.

 

[Weaselboy]

I doubt Apple is taking a %. I learned that before you even donate, you're supposed to ask how much of your donation actually goes to the cause. You'd be surprised that it's not 100%.

According the this text on the iTunes donation page, 100% of the donation goes to the Red Cross.

[doublepost=1471692412][/doublepost]

Nope, donations made through itunes or Apple are NOT deductible technically and Apple even warns you about this. You have to donate directly because the charity has to acknowledge receipt. But most would probably just include them anyways on their taxes and not worry about it as it's probably not a material amount. If you're donating big money, then you'd probably not be using itunes.

BTW..i'd be surprised if Apple wasn't deducting all these payments to charity. They have to recognize them as income.

This is incorrect. Your iTunes receipt will show the Red Cross donation and it is tax deductible. An acknowledgement letter is only required for donations over $250.

Information below from the IRS here.

A donor claiming a deduction of $250 or more is also required to obtain and keep a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for a charitable contribution .

 

[SBlue1]

Why does Apple always want to be the middleman in things? Why can't people just donate directly to red Cross? Does Apple take 30%?

Seriously?
[doublepost=1471692973][/doublepost]

It would have been an truly excellent move if Apple would have matched every donation done via the App Store - but I guess that's dreaming out loud in term of social responsibility.

Did you donate?

 

[r3m1]

It's horrible what has happened over there, but I just can't wrap my head around something. Why is there a fund raiser for a first world country? Shouldn't the government help these people out and provide them with food and shelter?

If this was a developing country, I could understand. Funding a rich country, that can seemingly spend trillions on war, doesn't seem right.

The US is not a first world country in a like-for-like comparison to e.g. Netherlands - it based on what priorities are chosen against extreme deregulation and privatization of the public sector. For that reason floodings still occur, power outages happen, over priced health care, etc. The taxes payed in the Netherlands (upward of 50% income tax) to maintain an equal standard of living for all (with or without a job) is something that would not be possible in the USA.

E.g. would you like a commercial company guard the Dutch shores?

 

[macfacts]

...

This is incorrect. Your iTunes receipt will show the Red Cross donation and it is tax deductible. An acknowledgement letter is only required for donations over $250.

...

Take a look at the image of the small text you posted.

 

[Weaselboy]

Take a look at the image of the small text you posted.

I saw that. That is a warning for the scenario I explained if you donate over $250. Your iTunes receipt showing the Red Cross donation will be acceptable for under $250, and is tax deductible.

 

[alexgowers]

Yet the cause of flooding won't be tackled and the government won't provide enough services to relieve the residents.

There is a huge reason I don't donate to charity, most money donated goes into advertising unless it's an unheard of charity. Most big charity organisations are inefficient and double up on areas already covered by gov services and provide the wrong thing for the affected, such as food and water when repairing a bridge would solve the issue.

Charities rely on not solving the problem. If the did then the charity would fail to be needed in the long term.

 

[LovingTeddy]

This is great. Using other people's money to make Apple looks good.

The fact is that Apple did not do are single penny. And people still praise Apple for doing donation.

It will be good that Apple actual donate something and accept the donation at same time.

 

[997440]

I agree with some of the reasoning here regarding charitable organizations. Some users have provided informative links on the subject; thank you. If not the ARC, donate elsewhere or not at all. Maybe Apple will learn from this.

It's extremely doubtful that Apple won't be making its own corporate donation. For goodness sake, save the Apple/corporate/USA/political bashing for another day. The big ship that is Apple is imperfect. But then there's this :

Thanks apple, we lost our home and almost everything we own.

 

[cardfan]

I saw that. That is a warning for the scenario I explained if you donate over $250. Your iTunes receipt showing the Red Cross donation will be acceptable for under $250, and is tax deductible.

I alluded to that with material amounts. You were more exact. That's what I would do. Besides the likelihood of getting audited is pretty low and that's not one I would even be remotely concerned about.

I donated 2k for a friend to bury his baby. It's pretty sad that isn't deductible.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

You are correct sir. I didn't mean my comment in the literal sense but from an overall view of perspective.

I realize the actual time Apple spent was minimal so yes you are accurate; just releasing a general sense of frustration.

No offense intended nor was I trying to be cute, snarky, or disingenuous; just making a blank comment.

Have a good one.



USVet
[doublepost=1471648433][/doublepost]

Good God no lol. I didn't mean it like that my friend. Even if it came out that way haha. And I truly don't think you do sir either (or ma'am).

Obviously I want new and updated kit, but not at the expense of those actually in "need" of items and resources to stay alive, get medical treatment, and/or save lives.

I understand the sentiment though



USVet
[doublepost=1471649127][/doublepost]Ladies and Gentlemen of the forum, please allow me to clarify my post.

I did not for 1 second imply, indicate, ascert, recommend, etc. that Apple is not doing something GOOD in a bad and terrible situation for all those that have been affected by this tragic incident. I am pleased and happy that Apple has taken the time to establish an additional outlet avenue that people can use to contribute personal funds to help those in need. I am in no way turning "Apple doing something positive" as a platform for complaint.

I realize what I said could have been construed as such so forgive the miscommunication. I was just trying to make a joke about the delay in product updates, NOT at the expense of those people in need or at the tragic incident itself. Obviously Apple is a large multi-national conglomerate corporation that does maintain a certain degree of social responsibility, which itself is pleasing as similar companies in close circumstance sit idle and do nothing at all.

Thanks for understanding. If anyone has been offended, I offer my apologies.



USVet

I was just joking. I don't really get that emotional about my computers or smart phones. I hope the people in the areas impacted by this disaster get the help they need ASAP.

 

[Cloudsurfer]

The US is not a first world country in a like-for-like comparison to e.g. Netherlands - it based on what priorities are chosen against extreme deregulation and privatization of the public sector. For that reason floodings still occur, power outages happen, over priced health care, etc. The taxes payed in the Netherlands (upward of 50% income tax) to maintain an equal standard of living for all (with or without a job) is something that would not be possible in the USA.

E.g. would you like a commercial company guard the Dutch shores?

I never looked at it that way, actually. We do have some privatization, most notably the railways and the postal service (which in both cases went down in quality significantly after they were privatized).

Something as critical as shore security would never be privatized. I would not trust a commercial company with anything like that.

 

[C DM]

It is tacky to do this through the App Store channel - draw the crowd to your App Store they might make another purchase after donating money for a good cause - it feels like the candy that always sits next to the cash register when you check out.

It would have been an truly excellent move if Apple would have matched every donation done via the App Store - but I guess that's dreaming out loud in term of social responsibility.

This is great. Using other people's money to make Apple looks good.

The fact is that Apple did not do are single penny. And people still praise Apple for doing donation.

It will be good that Apple actual donate something and accept the donation at same time.

And yet this is still better than nothing at all.
[doublepost=1471706739][/doublepost]

Really.

Well that's exactly how the story reads to me.

"Hello I'm Apple, I want some good PR advertising, at minimal cost to ourselves"
"We've added the ability for you to click on a button on our web site and YOUR money will be taken from your bank card and 100% of YOUR money sent to charity"
"Don't we look good doing this everyone?"

There are people that see animals when they look at clouds.