The attempt by the IRS to allow charities to solicit the Social Security number of donors may have an innocuous intention, but the outcome could be "the kiss of death" for American charity.
"Charities are saying “no way” to the Internal Revenue Service’s recently proposed new substantiation rules, which would include charities’ collecting and storing donor’s social security numbers. It’s a well-intentioned but misguided attempt by the IRS to help lax donors get tax receipts for charitable tax deductions, and comments are pouring in against it. 'Asking donors for their SS[Social Security] numbers would be the kiss of death,' wrote one of the 12,000-plus commenters chiming in on the proposal.
"'The proposal to add a potentially confusing parallel reporting regime that needlessly introduces the risks of fraud, identity theft, and decreased donations to the community should be rejected,' warns the National Council of Nonprofits in a position paper."--Ashlea Ebeling, Forbes