Post 86 is not intended to be a gotcha. As it states, the potential scenario of having W-2 athletes raises the possibility of changes to the tax exempt status of Universities.
This is not going to happen. Many foundations (corporate, individual, fund, as well as University) are set up so they can only donate to tax exempt entities. This protects them from paying taxes on their earnings as well as their donor's earnings (tax deductible donations) . Do you think that the IRS or congress will wipe out funding that supports University research that is often the only non-government funding available for Institutional Research. Wonder what our ag department gets from the Monsanto Foundation, or Deere Foundation. I am sure the ISU Foundation has numbers to show NGO foundation support.
I have a small foundation set up, and my tax advisor and attorney tell me what I can donate to, often I have to
pass on some worthy causes, because they haven't established 501c3 status, but it protects the earnings of the foundation from taxation. This allows my donations to eligible entities to be larger. It cannot donate to ISU athletics, but can to the ISU foundation. It was set up to honor both my wife's and my parents, and control will pass to my heirs in the future. Any additions to its principle by my wife or I is tax deductible as well as its own earnings, although we are both retired. That said, I can donate out of other funds to some causes ( out of pocket), but I pay taxes on that money!
Edit: Once I put money in it, it is no longer my money, it belongs to the foundation and you have to be a 501(c) to have it, which I am not.
I tried to set it up to provide me beer money, but the IRS does not consider that an educational activity!!!!!!

nor does my wife
