Google donations

What were the donations by the company and/or it's founders in 2005?

Tough to find. All I can find is the $3M to the library of congress, and political donations by employees to political parties(mostly democrats).

We all know about the Gates Foundation, and I'm sure Microsoft donations are in the billions in donating software and computers to schools and poor countries.

Google?

Washington Post

the article wrote:

Google is setting aside the equivalent of 3 million shares of stock, worth more than $900 million, to fund an entity called Google.org. It is separately putting about $90 million into a newly created Google Foundation, officials said.

Harlequin wrote:

What were the donations by the company and/or it's founders in 2005?

Tough to find. All I can find is the $3M to the library of congress, and political donations by employees to political parties(mostly democrats).

We all know about the Gates Foundation, and I'm sure Microsoft donations are in the billions in donating software and computers to schools and poor countries.

Google?

Who cares? ... Google doesn't have to donate a penny, not morally, legally or for any other reason. If they choose to donate, then good for them...

Good will isn't a competition. You give for the sake of giving, or for that good feeling you get after giving... You don't give to out-do those who also give...

I have to wonder; are you going to criticize Google for not giving enough if you find they gave less than some other random entity?

Manip wrote:

Good will isn't a competition.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Don't tax attorneys advise towards charity as a means to abating taxes through the twists and turns of their trade?

Recipients of charity are what matters, as you point out, not the givers. So good will might be best served by large egos throwing money around competitively.

[6][A]

If I am correct...the B&M Gates Foundation has a value of $20 Billion....that's $20 Billion less Bill has to claim at the end of the year.

Manip wrote:

I have to wonder; are you going to criticize Google for not giving enough if you find they gave less than some other random entity?

Google, no. It's founders? Yes.

Look at Donald Trump. Multi-billionaire, and one year his donations totalled just over 50 grand. Pathetic.

Must they give? Yes.

Rarely does a man or woman come across a lifetime in which they are blessed with "so much money, they don't know what to do with it". If all their do is sit on it and do nothing but live their life until it's bitter end, then they need to be strung up and the money sent back to the people "Robin Hood style".

Harlequin wrote:

Rarely does a man or woman come across a lifetime in which they are blessed with "so much money, they don't know what to do with it". If all their do is sit on it and do nothing but live their life until it's bitter end, then they need to be strung up and the money sent back to the people "Robin Hood style".

*cough* communism *cough*

Cybermagellan wrote:

If I am correct...the B&M Gates Foundation has a value of $20 Billion....that's $20 Billion less Bill has to claim at the end of the year.

This sort of reasoning is just so much nonsense - Bill either gives $20Billion to charity or pays $20Billion to the rapacious jaws of the taxman - either way Bill is down $20 Billion - which option has the greatest benefit to the world at large?

Harlequin wrote:

Must they give? Yes.

No.

Manip wrote:

Harlequin wrote: Rarely does a man or woman come across a lifetime in which they are blessed with "so much money, they don't know what to do with it". If all their do is sit on it and do nothing but live their life until it's bitter end, then they need to be strung up and the money sent back to the people "Robin Hood style".

*cough* communism *cough*

In America, a sense of 'nobilis oblige' is not socially enforceable, given our freedoms to become wealthy, and new wealth so common. Nonetheless, our system does see fit to provide a way for the money to find its way into more egalitarian pursuits. Hospitals, Universities, etc for legacy and also the ability to optimize tax savings by finding philanthropic opportunities.

It works, imho. Not every single one, but it seems to fit overall.

bishfish wrote:

Cybermagellan wrote: If I am correct...the B&M Gates Foundation has a value of $20 Billion....that's $20 Billion less Bill has to claim at the end of the year.

This sort of reasoning is just so much nonsense - Bill either gives $20Billion to charity or pays $20Billion to the rapacious jaws of the taxman - either way Bill is down $20 Billion - which option has the greatest benefit to the world at large?

1) he didn't donate $20Bil this year. 
2) there is a limit to how much you can donate to offset taxes. 
3) even though it sometimes seems opposite, taxes are actually used for good things. 

Using charity to 'not pay taxes' is quite a selfish choice.  You are essentially saying that the general welfare of society is less important than some random cause you came up with.  Tax money is used for a number of things that you could not do without.

I can't stand it when people complain about paying too much tax.  As if they don't deserve to do their fair share for society.

Donate money, but don't do it for the tax reasons.

ScanIAm wrote:

bishfish wrote: Cybermagellan wrote: If I am correct...the B&M Gates Foundation has a value of $20 Billion....that's $20 Billion less Bill has to claim at the end of the year. This sort of reasoning is just so much nonsense - Bill either gives $20Billion to charity or pays $20Billion to the rapacious jaws of the taxman - either way Bill is down $20 Billion - which option has the greatest benefit to the world at large?

1) he didn't donate $20Bil this year. 
2) there is a limit to how much you can donate to offset taxes. 
3) even though it sometimes seems opposite, taxes are actually used for good things. 

Using charity to 'not pay taxes' is quite a selfish choice.  You are essentially saying that the general welfare of society is less important than some random cause you came up with.  Tax money is used for a number of things that you could not do without.

I can't stand it when people complain about paying too much tax.  As if they don't deserve to do their fair share for society.

Donate money, but don't do it for the tax reasons.

I agree with you, which is why I finished with a question mark.

I agree especially and specifically with your final comment. I believe that Bill, and too many other large donors are labelled as donating for tax dodging. My piont was if they were doing it for that reason the money outlayed is much the same, so why bother?

Yes we need taxes for the all that Govts spend money on (good and bad , but donations can help fill in the gaps in  Govt spending.

I think all people who donate to good causes deserve our congratulation, not depracation, whether it is $2 or $2billion.