Question: Why
does the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) need the social security numbers of
those who donate to nonprofits and ministries?
Answer: They
don't.
Under a new proposed
regulation, the IRS would give nonprofits the “option” to collect Social
Security numbers of donors who contribute $250 or more to an organization or
ministry. [Only a fool would believe
that this “option” would not eventually become a “required” regulation.] And I trust you know that the IRS is no fan
of conservative organizations or Christian ministries. This proposed regulation (and its inevitable
expansion if adopted) would give them access to more information about the individuals who
selflessly help fund ministries and other nonprofits.
Furthermore, donors are less likely to donate to ministries
and other nonprofits doing good works if they feel like their information could
be compromised or even used to punish them in some way. This proposed regulation would almost
certainly decrease the support of donors to ministries and other charitable
organizations doing good works across this nation.
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior
legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, in an interview with The Daily
Signal, cited a lawsuit the National Organization for Marriage filed against the IRS alleging that an official with the tax agency leaked a copy
of confidential tax information listing the group’s donors. The IRS paid the National Organization
for Marriage $50,000 to settle the suit.
“Just think if they had leaked not only the names of the donors, but
Social Security numbers,” said von Spakovsky. “I
don’t trust the government to have that information, and there’s no reason for
them to have that information.”
Right now, this is a proposed regulation by the IRS. This means it hasn't become official yet, and
the regulation is open for public comment.
So, what are you going to do?
Doing nothing is not an option!
You must render comment to your elected officials.
Feel free to use your own words,
but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Ministries, charitable
organizations, and other nonprofits are valued by their communities for
providing charitable and other services to benefit the common good, and
the law recognizes this. Why would
the government create a regulation that has a chilling effect on donors’ willingness
to donate to these nonprofits? Donors’
willingness to donate will be inhibited if they feel they have to provide
sensitive information like their social security number with an
accompanying donation. I strongly
oppose this proposed regulation.
- Large corporations and even the
federal government have proven that hackers can obtain sensitive
information, even using secured technologies. How much more likely would it be for
hackers to target nonprofits for identity theft? The additional administrative and fiscal
costs to nonprofits to maintain extra security for social security numbers
would take time and money away from their valuable charitable works. I strongly oppose this proposed
regulation.
- There is absolutely no reason
that a nonprofit needs to receive a donor’s social security number with a
donation, and there is no reason for the IRS to obtain this sensitive
information through a nonprofit. I
strongly oppose this proposed regulation.
This
cannot go unchallenged. The government
has no good reason or need for requiring non-profits to collect Social Security
numbers of donors. This is a true case
of separation of church and state.
Rev. Dr.
Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
No comments:
Post a Comment