donating work?

[hl_tree]

Is there anything I should know before offering to / or actually donating work? There are 3 hazard trees which nobody is taking responsibility for. They would be EASY for me to handle, and would get me a favorable mention in the monthly newsletter. I've been wanting to see them go for the last 3? years, but as I said, nobody will pay for it.

 

[Rocks_and_Trees]

Where are they located?

 

[hl_tree]

They are located next to a private road which is the only access way to about 50 high end homes. The HOA says the trees are not their problem. The neighboring properties aren't taking responsibility for it either.

 

[Deak]

You can not take away any county work without permission. If the property is located on private property you can but you do need them to sign off on it just like a paying job but to let them know that the job is paid for by you. Each state has there own "nonforprifit" work and volunteer work as well you need to make sure you would be within those guide lines without charging.
Let me know if that helps.

 

[Rocks_and_Trees]

I'd do it. If they are "Easy" for you to handle, and they're near some high end potential customers. I've done some volunteer work that I was supposed to able to write off,...but I never did.

 

[arborgreen]

it seems when i do volunteer/donate work something breaks gets lost or smething of that nature it still feels good though,even better if u get some good exposure...sounds like u been wanting to attack for awhile,go for it

 

[tomthetreeman]

Remember... No good deed goes unpunished.

-Tom

 

[rangerdanger]

We've just recently gotten in doing volunteer work. We've been doing a fair share at the Ashland Estate, which is in a fairly upscale neighborhood. We've gotten some calls from it, and we even got a small TV spot when we did a day there doing cleanup after the Ice Storm. In my opinion, volunteer work and donated work are great ways to get your company out there, and just another way to set your company apart from others.

 

[PurdueJoe]

[ QUOTE ]
Remember... No good deed goes unpunished.

-Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, I did a volunteer deal for the local town council a couple months back. It was easy ,enjoyable and I felt pretty good when I was done. However, when I got the call from my sis saying nice pic in the local paper I come to find the photo I told the local paper photographer to use with me hanging in the tree working looking professional turned into a pic of me cutting the brush down in the back of my truck looking like the dude to poor to afford a chipper.(job was so small I didn't need one) Volunteering is great don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't expect the phone to blow up after wards.

 

[hl_tree]

I don't expect to get much work from it, if any. Just want to do something nice for the community, and for my customers who would be inconvenienced if / when these 3 trees fall. I've already started with having the neighbors sign off on it, now it's just a matter of the community board.

 

[KyLimbwalker]

If you are doing this for a Non-profit, you can send them a donation form. Attach a price to the work and deduct it from your year-end taxes. In this manner, you can still feel good about the work and "paid".

 

[southsoundtree]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are doing this for a Non-profit, you can send them a donation form. Attach a price to the work and deduct it from your year-end taxes. In this manner, you can still feel good about the work and "paid".

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe the HOA has a non-profit status and you can deduct it???


I hope that you get a lot of publicity from the HOA as areas made up of 50 high end homes aren't the type that I typically think need a free job done.

Best of luck.

Try to get whatever you can out of it, as you are taking all the risk and expense.

 

[rfwoodvt]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are doing this for a Non-profit, you can send them a donation form. Attach a price to the work and deduct it from your year-end taxes. In this manner, you can still feel good about the work and "paid".

[/ QUOTE ]

Not completely accurate...the IRS will allow you to deduct actual expenses only. Your time is not deductable, nor is your standard markup.

IRS allows only actual expenses to be deducted. So, if you normally charge $9,999,999.00 to remove a similar tree but your expenses are only $1000 wages to your workers and $20 in gas then you can only deduct $1020.

Your best bet is to treat it as a regular job but with no income. That keeps it with your other business transactions, is not limited by any IRS restrictions, and will not be likely to draw excess scrutiny.

Be careful whom you do Pro-Bono work for and be especially careful to execute an appropriate contract that ensures the tree owners assume the appropriate liabilities.

Good Luck!

 

[KyLimbwalker]

Thanks for the clarification, Rick. I was misinformed.

Looks like I'll be viewing my donations in a whole new light.

 

[Norm_Hall]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there anything I should know before offering to / or actually donating work? There are 3 hazard trees which nobody is taking responsibility for. They would be EASY for me to handle, and would get me a favorable mention in the monthly newsletter. I've been wanting to see them go for the last 3? years, but as I said, nobody will pay for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Make sure they are on a property that you won't get any hassles from. Call the local authorities to get their blessing. If everything pans out, call the local media to get some exposure. Look professional, act professional, don't showboat, do it very safely.

 

[theXman]

that is what my accountant told me about charity work too, you can't write off what it would have been. Your expenses, are just the payrol, fuel, whatever the job ate up that day doing the job, like normal.

We will donate to churches, sometimes police dept and work on champion trees for free or greatly reduced price. I have lots of tree removals for my church coming up, wrote up the regular bill and cut it in half by 50%.

Yes, I agree with someone earlier that said, watch out, if you do something for free, something is likely to go wrong. But for me that usually happens on a regular job, where the customer adds something that day and I said, "no problem, I'll just take care of that no charge", and it becomes a problem or more work than thought and i want to kick myself.

 

[rfwoodvt]

Again, sounding like a broken record, I cannot emphasize enough that if you do work for free, reduced, donated, pro-bono, whatever you call it, <u> make absolutely sure that you have a clear and comprehensive contract executed. </u>

It is a sad fact but those that get something for nothing are frequently not content with what they get and want more. They are also often looking to "win the lottery" by putting the screws to someone, especially the hand that feeds them.

If you don't have such a contract and something later goes wrong they can point at you and say with conviction, "it's his/her fault...they didn't do it right....didn't tell us there might be problems...didn't have our OK to do <u>that</u>..." Pick your accusation.

FWIW, experience has taught me some valuable lessons.

 

[arborgreen]

ya ur right rick those people become like addicts they want more and more and they are still not happy