亿万富翁罗伯特·F. 史密斯, 创始人, chairman and CEO of a private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, promised to pay off the school loans of the entire 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College in his commencement speech on May 19. Morehouse College is a historically all-male liberal arts college located in Atlanta, Georgia. The first question that comes to an accountant’s mind is what are the 税 consequences of this incredibly generous gesture.
Although the specific details of how the elimination of the student loans will take place are currently unknown, 有两种可能的情况. 在第一个例子中, the payment will be considered 税able as a prize and students would have to recognize it on their individual income 税 returns. 例如,如果Mr. 史密斯 gives money directly to school or the loan institution and then the debt is forgiven from that institution or the school.
第二个, more likely outcome is that the payments would be considered gifts, in which case the students would have no 税 burden, and any 税 to be paid would be the responsibility of Mr. 史密斯. In 2018, annual exclusion from 税 (per person receiving a gift) was $15,000. As the collective loan total nears $40 million, it would be best for Mr. 史密斯 to figure out a way to pay off all the loans individually over several years rather than all at once to avoid paying gift 税.
无论哪种情况,奥巴马的声明都是如此. 史密斯鼓励毕业生, motivation and a chance to focus on pursuing their dreams without the heavy burden of student loans.