Should volunteer time be tax deductible

Thousands of businesses and charitable institutes would not have survived without the help from volunteers. They have achieved many wonderful things, for many needy people. Volunteers are a necessary element in the running of the Blind, Red Cross, Salvation Army, hospitals or any charitable organizations.

Last weekend in Perth, Western Australia, thousands of volunteers from all over Australia worked together for twenty-four hours nonstop for Telethon. This included entertainers, TV personalities, telephone operators plus many others, too numerous to mention. Telethon's a television function held every year. This year they celebrated their fortieth anniversary, and raised over six million dollars to buy urgently needed medical equipment for the Princess Margaret Children's Hospital.

A different child represents Telethon every year. For weeks and months before this weekend, people hold events or walk for miles to collect donations for this wonderful and important occasion. Every cent donated, adds to the total,and children often ring in and donate their pocket money.

The volunteers donating their weekend for this event were happy to do so, although they receive no benefit for that work. Yet those people, who gave their money for the cause, can claim that amount from taxation as a donation. Therefore, why shouldn't the volunteer worker receive recognition for their time and effort?

Without these dedicated volunteers many children in hospitals would not receive the vital medical treatment this money and time affords them.

Most volunteers will work for hours or days on end to achieve this feeling of helping someone worse off than them. Not doing this for personal gain or recognition, they do it because people desperately need their help.

I believe that if volunteers were offered a tax deduction, more people may volunteer their time to organizations in dire need of help. This would not deter the dedicated volunteers from doing their bit week after week, year after year.

I volunteered my time tutoring the elderly on using the Internet, and enjoyed it immensely. On thinking back, it would have helped to receive a benefit, by paying less tax for our paid work. No one likes to pay tax, so any benefit would be appreciated.

Learn more about this author, Eileen Hughes.
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