New Unused Credit Policy

[Guest]

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[waywardcats]

We should find out if such a website and search function is available in California.

Dan

Yes it is.  That would be the Califonia State Controllers Office Unclaimed Property Division

The searchable database is here.

-Kerry-

[AccountAbility]

Maybe Kiva should add a question to its Q & A section:

Q: "I haven't visited my Kiva lender account in a couple of years.  I know I should have some credits but I can't find them.  Where did they go?"
A: Kiva turned them over to the State of California as required by law.  You can claim them from the following website."   

Dan

[CESOus]

OK, I don't think this is exactly where this question should go, but I can't seem to figure out how to post a "new" question (or thread?) in this forum.  Please feel free to direct me to the appropriate place and process.  We gave a $25 Kiva gift certificate about a year ago.  The recipient has no intention of using it.  It will shortly become a donation to Kiva, which is OK with us.  The question is whether or not we can then receive a tax credit for this donation, and if so, how do we go about obtaining it?  Thanks for clarifying.

[Diane R]

While I cannot answer your question regarding tax deductibility of an unused Kiva gift certificate (GC), I can tell you how to find the code for the GC and redeem it yourself for your own use, after which you may choose to contribute the funds and receive a tax receipt.

Sign into the Kiva account from which you purchased the GC.  In your My Portfolio page, you'll see a link near the top which reads "Gift Certificates".  When you click that, you will see a list called "My Gift Certificates" -- it defaults to showing you the GCs which you purchased for others.  Look through that list (by default this is sorted by date) until you find the GC you purchased for this recipient; it will show as not redeemed.  Copy or write down the 13-digit code for that unredeemed certificate, and go back to the upper part of that page and click on the link that says "Redeem".  Enter that 13-digit code and the email address associated with your Kiva account (which purchased the GC in the first place) and you may redeem the GC yourself.  It will become Kiva Credit for that lending account immediately, and you may use it to fund loans yourself or donate it directly to Kiva.  If you do the latter, you WILL get a receipt for tax purposes. (You may also request a withdrawal if you would prefer, and the money will be returned to the Paypal account of your choice).

If you are certain this individual will not be redeeming this GC, you might as well look up the code and cash it yourself.  Then if you do want it to become a donation, there is a clear path to receiving a receipt for that donation.

EDIT:  I just looked at your profile and I see you are in Canada.  Tax deductibility for donations to Kiva is only available for US citizens/taxpayers at this time.  There has been talk about extending that to other countries, but so far this has not changed.  Sorry...

Hope that's clear,
--Diane.

[CESOus]

This is a perfectly clear, informative answer and good advice.  Many thanks.  Is it true that you have made over 3000 posts to this Forum?  That's amazing!  (Regarding the edit that was added to your reply: Although we live in Canada, we are also U.S. taxpayers.)

[AccountAbility]

We shall have to see how the auto-lending feature affects the requirements for escheating inactive funds to the state.  As I said in the Terms of Use thread, all I know is that having my bank automatically reinvest my interest will not delay the escheat requirements.

Of course, having a positive election to make a donation with unused credits is a different issue.

Dan