[Answered] Prize/tax issues

a5ehren

Long story short, last year I won a prize vacation for 4 - now that it is tax time, the bill comes out to roughly $1550 (ARV of the trip was ~$6200 * 25% overall tax rate). The other people will not be receiving tax forms.

I am uncomfortable asking everyone else to pay a full quarter of it (~$375), but I don't think it would be out of line to ask for like $100-$150 right?

khain

I think it's rude as you're putting people in a spot where they no longer have the choice between the trip or the money.

Magus`

Depends on who they are, IMO. I personally wouldn't be offended if someone asked me to help, but I also would hope they weren't offended if I wasn't able to. Most people wouldn't expect to pay taxes on something like that, but then again, I don't see why it would be a terrible thing, either.

Figgy

Who did you take? If I got a paid vacation from a friend for no reason at all and they asked me to help out with a tax bill months later, I wouldn't at all be offended. I'd understand that my friend shouldn't be shelling out money unexpectedly for that.

If it were family, I wouldn't expect to be asked to pay.

a5ehren

Figgy wrote:

Who did you take? If I got a paid vacation from a friend for no reason at all and they asked me to help out with a tax bill months later, I wouldn't at all be offended. I'd understand that my friend shouldn't be shelling out money unexpectedly for that.

If it were family, I wouldn't expect to be asked to pay.

It was my Dad and 2 friends from college. My Dad and one the friends offered to help out some at the time (but I'm not really sure how to bring it up now) and I'm not expecting the other guy to help since he had to buy a flight to come.

Deebaser

The only one you can reasonably ask is your dad.
It's still rude (albiet out of ignorance), but it's family.

Asking your college buddies is a pretty dick move.

Draygo

First, ask your dad. I mean he is your dad and I assume you have a good relationship with him or you wouldnt have asked him to come with you on that vacation. Ask him what he thinks as well. Because he is family present him with the total tax bill for the trip and ask him if he thinks it fair if you ask him and your 2 friends to cover some of that expense.

Nappuccino

I would just be honest and tell them "hey, I didn't think about how much the tax would actually be. If you're still willing to help me pay for it I would really appreciate it"

Druhim

Go ahead and ask, but keep in mind that you're the one that failed to take into account what you'd be paying in taxes. So it's not really their responsibility. The fair time to ask them to chip in would have been before they went on the trip. Failing to take the taxes into account before the trip was your oversight, not theirs.

a5ehren

OK I have what I need - mod please lock.