Author Topic: PayPal giving fund - count for Maaser? (Read 3850 times)

zalman2bis · « **on:** July 06, 2023, 02:49:30 AM »

Not sure under which category to put this question, and couldn't find anything already written.
Was wondering if anyone would have this answer from a halachic source.
Does using Paypal giving fund to give moisdos work for Maaser (and tzedaka) money, being that it seems your giving the money to Paypal, and PayPal reserves the rights to do otherwise?
The moisad perhaps prefers not losing the fees, but still on the giving end, it's not directly to the moisad. It's through a middleman, who takes your money and gives it to that moisad since you suggested it, but does not guarantee they will give it to that moisad.
Wondering. TIA.

AJK · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2023, 10:11:40 AM »

Quote from: zalman2bis on July 06, 2023, 02:49:30 AM

and PayPal reserves the rights to do otherwise?

Source please. Paypal suggests otherwise:

Quote

PayPal Giving Fund grants donated funds to charities enrolled with PayPal Giving Fund ("Participating Nonprofits" pursuant to the PayPal Giving Fund Nonprofit User Agreement) on a monthly basis on or around the 25th day of each month, in nearly all cases within 10 to 40 days after PayPal Giving Fund's receipt of funds. This schedule enables us to streamline processing by providing a lump sum payment to the charity, making it simpler for the charity to identify our payments and account for the funds we have raised. We distribute grants to enrolled charities via PayPal as we have determined this to be a fast, efficient, secure, and cost-effective way to do so. Donors can be confident their donations will reach their chosen charities securely, and the charities receive the payments into their PayPal accounts quickly and free of charge. Enrolled charities can also review the donations granted to them by PayPal Giving Fund, including donor details (except when donors choose to give anonymously), on their PayPal Giving Fund dashboard, accessible via their PayPal account.

AJK · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2023, 10:16:21 AM »

Ah, I see what you were talking about. But it's not quite as broad as you implied:

Quote

While we take all reasonable steps to attempt to grant donated funds according to the donor's recommendation, PayPal Giving Fund retains exclusive legal control over all donations. In the rare cases when a charity fails to meet the terms of our Nonprofit Certification Policy and/or fails to meet PayPal Giving Fund's due diligence standards as described above for receipt of a donation at any time, we reserve the right to reassign funds to another charitable organization of our choice. We may also reassign donations in the event we are unable to distribute the funds successfully (e.g., the charity fails to cash the check(s) we send).

So as long as the charity meets the "Nonprofit Certification Policy" and doesn't fail due diligence -- i.e., is a reputable charity -- then there won't be an issue. And even if there was, it gets reassigned to another charity; they don't blow it in Vegas.

ckmk47 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2023, 01:28:06 PM »

Quote from: AJK on July 06, 2023, 10:16:21 AM

Ah, I see what you were talking about. But it's not quite as broad as you implied:

So as long as the charity meets the "Nonprofit Certification Policy" and doesn't fail due diligence -- i.e., is a reputable charity -- then there won't be an issue. And even if there was, it gets reassigned to another charity; they don't blow it in Vegas.

The question is what do they choose as the replacement charity.
If you were donating to a yeshiva- maaser.
If they sent it to a charter school for the arts - not maaser. Although tax deductible.

zalman2bis · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2023, 01:45:11 PM »

My question is not if the funds go somewhere else.
My question is, the mere fact that it's not you giving directly. You're giving to the PayPal giving fund, and they in turn are granting your request to give those funds from their giving fund to the non profit designated, does that result in a halachic change, regarding you fulfilling your Maaser or tzedaka requirements, cause you're not giving your money directly to a moisad, rather to non Jewish recipient, who in turn (with that toivas hano'oh?) will pass it on to a Jewish moisad.
If they were guaranteeing to pass it on, they are just a shliach, like the mailman who delivers the check.
But since it's not guaranteed, perhaps the status changes.

Dan · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2023, 02:03:59 PM »

The funds go to the charity. Never heard of it not going.

yos9694 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2023, 03:25:05 PM »

Quote from: zalman2bis on July 06, 2023, 01:45:11 PM

My question is not if the funds go somewhere else.
My question is, the mere fact that it's not you giving directly. You're giving to the PayPal giving fund, and they in turn are granting your request to give those funds from their giving fund to the non profit designated, does that result in a halachic change, regarding you fulfilling your Maaser or tzedaka requirements, cause you're not giving your money directly to a moisad, rather to non Jewish recipient, who in turn (with that toivas hano'oh?) will pass it on to a Jewish moisad.
If they were guaranteeing to pass it on, they are just a shliach, like the mailman who delivers the check.
But since it's not guaranteed, perhaps the status changes.

That's a very good question. What's important to keep in mind is that the reason giving funds are designed this way is due to what's just a legal technicality that requires you to give up control of the money in order to receive the tax deduction. For example, if you drop $1m into the fund this year, you get a $1m tax deduction this year- even if you spend years issuing grants from that original amount. The point is that there is really no risk that the fund will disregard the instructions of the donor. They are exactly like the mailman in your example.

justmeha · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2024, 01:31:44 AM »

Not exactly the topic but couldn't find a better thread...

I was trying to give a donation through PayPal giving fund and liquidate liquidate my MCGC at the same time. But I ran into a problem where PayPal would not let me drain the entire amount on the card (i.e. it would only process a $99 charge on a $100 virtual visa gc (from gc.com))

Has anyone here have experience swiping a large amount of GC's on paypal giving fund?

P.s. I was using staples MCGC and giftcards.com virtual visa cards

ckmk47 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2024, 02:10:24 AM »

Quote from: justmeha on January 07, 2024, 01:31:44 AM

Not exactly the topic but couldn't find a better thread...

I was trying to give a donation through PayPal giving fund and liquidate liquidate my MCGC at the same time. But I ran into a problem where PayPal would not let me drain the entire amount on the card (i.e. it would only process a $99 charge on a $100 virtual visa gc (from gc.com))

Has anyone here have experience swiping a large amount of GC's on paypal giving fund?

P.s. I was using staples MCGC and giftcards.com virtual visa cards

Just a guess.
Paypal puts a $1 hold on each card as you enter it into their system (to check it's authenticity)
So only $99 is available on the card. In a few days the hold falls off and the whole $100 is available.

justmeha · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2024, 02:41:16 AM »

Quote from: ckmk47 on January 07, 2024, 02:10:24 AM

Just a guess.
Paypal puts a $1 hold on each card as you enter it into their system (to check it's authenticity)
So only $99 is available on the card. In a few days the hold falls off and the whole $100 is available.

it's not that.
1) I checked the transactions
2) I tried charging the last dollar separately a week later and it didn't go

That's besides the staples cards not working at all

Essen est zich · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2024, 06:21:01 AM »

Quote from: ckmk47 on January 07, 2024, 02:10:24 AM

Just a guess.
Paypal puts a $1 hold on each card as you enter it into their system (to check it's authenticity)
So only $99 is available on the card. In a few days the hold falls off and the whole $100 is available.

+ 1

I usually donate $199 on the visa/mc cards I pick up at staples. Then I load the last $1 to Amazon account.

Saver2000 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2024, 08:58:26 PM »

Paypal doesn't charge a cc fee for this service?

justmeha · « **Reply #12 on:** January 08, 2024, 09:00:43 PM »

Quote from: Essen est zich on January 07, 2024, 06:21:01 AM

+ 1

I usually donate $199 on the visa/mc cards I pick up at staples. Then I load the last $1 to Amazon account.

I'm having a hard time even with $199 charges.

How many have you done at a time?

Essen est zich · « **Reply #13 on:** January 08, 2024, 09:23:00 PM »

Quote from: justmeha on January 08, 2024, 09:00:43 PM

I'm having a hard time even with $199 charges.

How many have you done at a time?

I haven't done it in a while.

Mr Green · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2024, 12:04:19 AM »

Quote from: Saver2000 on January 08, 2024, 08:58:26 PM

Paypal doesn't charge a cc fee for this service?

Nope

Mr Green · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2024, 12:05:30 AM »

anyone ever had any experience of paypal transferring the money to a different charity then whats chosen?

are the terms just for protection and not being used in real fact?

solmeir · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2024, 09:26:35 AM »

I’ve been using for over a year and never had an issue.

baron · « **Reply #17 on:** February 25, 2024, 02:55:01 PM »

How would I give to an unlisted/unenrolled charity. Is that possible?

solmeir · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2024, 04:53:32 PM »

You can donate via a DAF. Donors Fund, Pledger, Donary etc…

solmeir · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2024, 12:35:30 PM »

Anyone tried recently? Is GF still alive with all the shutdowns in PP?