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A very dear friend's teenager has just been diagnosed with bone cancer. A group of friends, with the mom's approval, is starting a gofundme page. For some reason this makes me very uncomfortable, asking friends for money. I'm sure a large part of it is my age, 45+, and another part is I grew up with the idea that finances were private. Am I the only one?
I understand it's my decision to donate or not.
Also, does anyone have a ballpark what cancer treatment costs if a family has the average private health insurance policy?
It really depends on what kind of plan they have. However, I will say this: The ACA has forbidden caps on benefits as well as exclusions for pre-existing conditions. The most these people are probably asking for is help with their deductibles, which even on a Bronze plan is not going to come to more than $6-10K. That is indeed a lot of money if their household income is something like $35K, but it's not going to be more than that per year.
Then again, if their household income is that low, depending on how many people are in the family, they may qualify for Medicare/Medicaid.
If their plan is Silver or higher, I would be very skeptical of giving them money. With Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans, if they can afford the premiums, which are higher, they can afford the deductibles, which are lower.
A very dear friend's teenager has just been diagnosed with bone cancer. A group of friends, with the mom's approval, is starting a gofundme page. For some reason this makes me very uncomfortable, asking friends for money. I'm sure a large part of it is my age, 45+, and another part is I grew up with the idea that finances were private. Am I the only one?
I understand it's my decision to donate or not.
Also, does anyone have a ballpark what cancer treatment costs if a family has the average private health insurance policy?
I do not give money on that site. I never know if the person who needs the money will actually get it. If you know these people personally, write them a check.
Unless you are a registered non-profit organization then is the money raised on gofundme and like sites seen as income ? It would seem to be that if it is indeed seen as income then benefactors would have to pay taxes on the monies raised.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Unless you are a registered non-profit organization then is the money raised on gofundme and like sites seen as income ? It would seem to be that if it is indeed seen as income then benefactors would have to pay taxes on the monies raised.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this.
From the gofundme site:
Quote:
Unfortunately, we're unable to provide specific tax advice since everyone's situation is different. While this is no means a guarantee, most donations on GoFundMe are simply considered to be 'personal gifts' which are not taxed as income in the US. Additionally, only donations made to a legally registered non-profit or charity may be considered eligible for donors to claim as a tax deduction. Again, every situation is different so please consult with a tax professional in your area.
It really depends on what kind of plan they have. However, I will say this: The ACA has forbidden caps on benefits as well as exclusions for pre-existing conditions. The most these people are probably asking for is help with their deductibles, which even on a Bronze plan is not going to come to more than $6-10K. That is indeed a lot of money if their household income is something like $35K, but it's not going to be more than that per year.
Then again, if their household income is that low, depending on how many people are in the family, they may qualify for Medicare/Medicaid.
If their plan is Silver or higher, I would be very skeptical of giving them money. With Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans, if they can afford the premiums, which are higher, they can afford the deductibles, which are lower.
Cancer isn't just the actual cost of deductibles, copays, and medications. Those *only* cost me around 10K (and I had no deductible - that was just copays for numerous appointments and prescription drugs).
It's parking at the hospital, transportation costs (ie no longer being allowed to take public transit - I had to buy a car because suddenly I had no way to get to work or medical appointments for 6 months), over the counter medications and vitamins that are not covered by insurance (one of the most surprising costs for me - that was over $200 a month alone!), time out of work, delivery fees for things when you can't do it yourself, and other logistical support such as laundry, cleaning, etc. I gained 60 pounds during chemo and had to buy a whole new wardrobe because none of my clothes fit. Others lose so much weight that they need to buy clothes that didn't fall off of them. Chemo and radiation often cause dental issues - both requiring an appointment before treatment starts and also sometimes causing issues that last LONG after it ends.
6-10K for medical costs alone might not sound like much, but when you're also facing the challenges above then it all compounds. Plus, the medical costs continue LONG after treatment ends.
It's not the giving that anyone is questioning. It's not even really fundraising (when it's a worthy cause) that people have an issue with. It's the use *of this particular site* (and similar crowdfunding websites) that have no process of verification and charges 7.9% (plus $0.30 per donation) of the funds raised ... rather than giving directly to those in need.
It bothers me that they're profiting from others' time of need just by being the "middle man".
I understand your point, but doesn't all fundraising have costs and doesn't someone almost always make money? If you throw a spaghetti supper, unless the grocery store donates the food they make money on the deal. The same thing is true with t-shirts you might sell. Even if you get someone to underwrite the costs, someone is making money somewhere.
The verification is up to the donor. I'd never contribute to a GFM campaign unless I knew the recipient personally and knew his/her story to be true.
I wrote on another topic about this...I think it's the name that bothers me for some reason. What happened to the days when you would have some kind of event to raise money? My friend growing up had heart problems, and needed lots of care all of the time. We would have pancake breakfasts & things like that to raise money. Not only was it a great learning experience for myself & our friends, but it was a great way to get the community together.
There is a lot to be said for community fundraisers because they generate goodwill as well as income. Maybe it's just me, but I would almost always rather contribute $20 to someone or something rather than buy a chicken plate or cupcakes at a bake sale.
I have a dear friend with Parkinson's disease. She is in very bad condition and in assisted living. She has found this organization that claims to be doing "clinical trials" with stem cells. The only problem is that this company demands payment of $15,000 to be in their "trial". I have never heard of any trial that required the patient to pay to be experimented on. Her ex-husband started a gofundme type campaign for her to get the money for this treatment. I donated $100, but would not donate more because I believe that it is a scam. I was very uncomfortable with them asking her friends to pay for treatment that is unproven and might even be harmful to her. I spoke to some of our other friends and it was obvious that they were uncomfortable as well, but were scared to say anything. Needless to say she never reached her goal. I feel so bad but I hated to see her throw money away on a quack treatment when she needs it to pay for her living situation.
I understand your point, but doesn't all fundraising have costs and doesn't someone almost always make money? If you throw a spaghetti supper, unless the grocery store donates the food they make money on the deal. The same thing is true with t-shirts you might sell. Even if you get someone to underwrite the costs, someone is making money somewhere.
Who said anything about spaghetti suppers or t-shirts? There's always collecting the money without the middle man and without paying 7.9%+. Same principal, different process. In the olden days (literally just a few years ago), people would go to a bank and ask them to waive the fees on a small account where people could send their donations.
With an illness, it isn't just the treatment that is expensive.
What about the spouse being out of work for an extended time?
What about if the illness causes them to have to travel?
What about meals in the hospital for the spouse or family member(s).
If you don't want to give don't give but for God's sake, don't be so judgemental because YOU feel you are above a donation site.
Not everyone can afford to.
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