Need help with MAASER

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 10:04 pm

DH and I want to give more Maaser and be more exact. We don’t feel comfortable asking our Rav. Let’s say my DH and I made 7k this month, how much goes to maaser? I know it’s 10% but isn’t it after taxes? How do I know? How do most people calculate it?

amother

Blushpink

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 10:09 pm

I do ten percent of what gets deposited. But you should totally discuss with a rav if you want to know what's black and white halacha.

So when dh got a pay check, it was after withholding. Now that he's self employed, it's before tax. That doesn't mean that's halacha at all, that's just what we do.

I like to believe that Hashem sees that we aren't being so nickel and dime-y about sharing our wealth, and that He will continue to shower us with more to give.

amother

Blonde

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 10:19 pm

I set up a few bank accounts.
1) Direct deposit - both of our salaries get automatically deposited there. I keep an extra $120 there at all times, so that we meet the minimum balance even when our salaries are transferred out.
2) charity account - when we get our direct deposits, we calculate 10% (or a higher percentage) of what was deposited, and do an immediate transfer of that amount into this account. 2A)Open a credit card to be used only for charity. It's convenient to have a credit card for charity and the cc bill gets paid out of the charity bank account.
3) Savings account - we try to put away money from each paycheck, again straight from the direct deposit into this account.
4) Regular checking account - the remainder of the salary check gets transferred into this account.

Now you can easily track the maaser and don't have to think about it. Been doing this for several years and it's amazing. I feel so generous, because I can give charity as long as there's maaser to cover it, and I know it's taken care of a whatever is in my checking account is for everything else. No need to calculate constantly and worry about forgetting etc.

amother

Scarlet

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 10:28 pm

amother Moonstone wrote:

No, it’s not after taxes. It’s whatever check you get, 10% of that.

Transfer it to another account right away. We like donors fund.

Tizku lmitzvos

Ofc it’s after taxes
That’s the Halacha.

amother

↑ Moonstone

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 10:30 pm

amother Scarlet wrote:

Ofc it’s after taxes
That’s the Halacha.

I guess there’s different opinions.

We have some income on a W2 so obviously that’s after taxes but some income that’s from our investments and we pay from what we get, before taxes. (It actually helps lower our tax bill.)