No deduction for house contribution

No deduction for house contribution

What deduction is available for donation of a lake-front house to the local volunteer fire department when the house has to be burned down in training exercises and the property owners use the newly-cleared land to build a new house?

The Tax Court has agreed with the Internal Revenue Service that the landowners received demolition services worth about $10,000 and thus received a quid pro quo that was worth more than the value of the house.  Therefore they were not entitled to any deduction at all.

lock The full text of this article is available to paid subscribers only. Login or subscribe to read more