I bothered to check my email for the first time in a while and noticed one from my gym that I have a fortnightly direct debit authorisation with saying that unless I specifically opt out they'd be making a charitable donation in my name to a charity they're supporting. Was only $2, but it's more the approach to this that irked me. This is the sort of thing that should NEVER require me to opt-out. This seems a bit wrong?
Does a Direct Debit Authorisation for Fortnightly Gym Memberships Also Allow My Gym to Make Donations on My Behalf?
milkabuck on 18/08/2023 - 19:32
Comments
I agreed to the fortnightly payments about 7 years ago for my gym membership. Don't believe there was a blank cheque clause in there for anything else they feel like?
Presumably there have been notifications about price changes and things which you would have agreed to? But yeah should be opt-in surely. Seems dodgy af
That's the 1st thought that came to mind from the OPs post?
Provide a link to the gym contract you signed.
Trying to find it. Was 7 years ago.
TBH I impressed that anyone has maintained a gym membership for 7 years.
He probably only went for the first 2 months, saw no improvement then just stopped going, and never bothered to cancel.
No?
Only me?
@Flying Ace: In fairness gym's generally make it very, very difficult to cancel. Easier to close your account and change banks.
@Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Many moons again when I had a membership, I emailed them and told them to cancel it. They continued to take it out, so I got the bank to do a charge back on the months they continued to take it, they then cancelled it quite quickly. W@nkers.
@Flying Ace: I kept mine going for six months after I stopped going. I was going every second night then stopped and was convinced I would get back into it. Now I order fast food every second night :(
Feels very wrong tbh. Gotta be wary of direct debit authorisations for these kinds of reasons. The bank can't even fully stop them from taking money out (even for some dodgy clause in the contract).
That is why i never give debit authorisation, they can basically take whatever they want.
Was it to the human fund?
Question ask you understand do not.
Only at Festivus.
Haha I'd forgotten about that episode. Classic George
I made the same joke when Scotty asked where OZB should donate some of the profits and was downvoted. Also downvoted for saying the Indigenous literacy charity sounded like a worthy cause.
I downvoted just to uphold the trend
Money for People
Who is claiming the tax deduction you or the gym?
If they are indeed making it on your behalf then you ought to be claiming the deduction.
Don't know as I've only seen the email, not the actual specifics. Will inquire when I next visit. Apparently based on this thread I'm meant to visit the gym…
What was the charity?
This sounds like a tax rort. The gym will be writing off everyone's $2 donation and claiming it back at tax time.
It's not a tax rort, as the receipt is income, the expense a deduction; it does nothing for them other than if they are a listed entity it allows them to inflate income for reporting requirements, and increase donations similarly
There is no tax benefit, but possibly other benefits from it
But does the subscriber get to deduct the donation from their taxes?
In general, only if the payment is made to a registered deductible gift recipient, and the amount donated is $2 or more
The problem here will be that you need a receipt to be able to claim the deduction, particularly if it is an ongoing deduction woth your membership payments
If you agreed to it…