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There's always a time cost with financial things, at least. Some tax authority probably expects you to track and report that income, and will want their share.

by kd5bjo 6y ago

rglullis 6y ago
We are not talking about hundreds or thousands of dollars here, are we? Do you get in trouble with the Tax Man because you tip your server at a restaurant or gives some spare change to the someone on the street?
- kd5bjo 6y ago
  Giving? No. Receiving and not reporting? Maybe, depending on local laws and how zealous the tax enforcer is. This probably falls into the category of "Not allowed, but too small to worry about." That works fine, until they decide to audit you for some other reason.
  - rglullis 6y ago
    Sorry, I misread your original comment. Sure, if the project is successful to the point of receiving significant amounts, having to report it becomes mandatory. Speaking as someone with an open source project that started due a grant and that I'd love to turn into a full time job: If I were receiving so many donations that it would require me to spend time to report to the tax authorities, I'd put it on the list of "good problems to have".
    - kingosticks 6y ago
      Obviously it depends which tax system(s) you have to deal with, but in some countries if you are fortunate to already earn over the tax free allowance from your day job, it doesn't matter how big or small the extra (donation) income is from your side-project - it will be mandatory to report it. So you can either comply, which has a cost, or not comply and risk whatever comes from that.
      - rglullis 6y ago
        I am talking about the scenario where there would be working on open source is the day job. Whether the revenue came from big sponsorships, support contracts or donations, it certainly would need an accountant anyway.
rel00 6y ago
This is always the problem with taking "donations" privately. Although innocent, the reality is that a lot of tax authorities look at this as income. As someone who's primarily a creator, I find it often eye brow raising the kinds of complicated rules which tax authorities create to "level the playing field". Definitely tread carefully.

There's always a time cost with financial things, at least. Some tax authority probably expects you to track and report that income, and will want their share.

by kd5bjo 6y ago

There's always a time cost with financial things, at least. Some tax authority probably expects you to track and report that income, and will want their share.

rglullis 6y ago

We are not talking about hundreds or thousands of dollars here, are we? Do you get in trouble with the Tax Man because you tip your server at a restaurant or gives some spare change to the someone on the street?

kd5bjo 6y ago
Giving? No. Receiving and not reporting? Maybe, depending on local laws and how zealous the tax enforcer is. This probably falls into the category of "Not allowed, but too small to worry about." That works fine, until they decide to audit you for some other reason.
- rglullis 6y ago
  Sorry, I misread your original comment. Sure, if the project is successful to the point of receiving significant amounts, having to report it becomes mandatory. Speaking as someone with an open source project that started due a grant and that I'd love to turn into a full time job: If I were receiving so many donations that it would require me to spend time to report to the tax authorities, I'd put it on the list of "good problems to have".
  - kingosticks 6y ago
    Obviously it depends which tax system(s) you have to deal with, but in some countries if you are fortunate to already earn over the tax free allowance from your day job, it doesn't matter how big or small the extra (donation) income is from your side-project - it will be mandatory to report it. So you can either comply, which has a cost, or not comply and risk whatever comes from that.
    - rglullis 6y ago
      I am talking about the scenario where there would be working on open source is the day job. Whether the revenue came from big sponsorships, support contracts or donations, it certainly would need an accountant anyway.

rel00 6y ago

This is always the problem with taking "donations" privately. Although innocent, the reality is that a lot of tax authorities look at this as income. As someone who's primarily a creator, I find it often eye brow raising the kinds of complicated rules which tax authorities create to "level the playing field". Definitely tread carefully.