Charities routinely exaggerate the value of their charitable contributions on IRS filings by reporting what they call the "fair market value" of tickets and memorabilia donated to charity auctions, instead of the prices at which the items sold. Some examples reported by the Roger Clemens Foundation:
Item auctioned in 2011: Yankees jersey
Charity: Jason Peter All Fore Junior Achievement Gala
Date of Auction: 10/14/10
-
Sale price
$800 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$2,000
Item auctioned in 2011: USA Jersey
Charity: All-Star Concert for Handicapped Children
Date of Auction: 10/4/10
-
Sale price
$1,000 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$2,000
Item auctioned in 2011: Red Sox jersey
Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Date of Auction: 3/18/11
-
Sale price
$1,000 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$2,000
Item auctioned in 2011: Jacket
Charity: Muscular Dystrophy Association
Date of Auction: 1/21/11
-
Sale price
$355 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$900
Item auctioned in 2011: Jacket
Charity: Muscular Dystrophy Association
Date of Auction: 1/21/11
-
Sale price
$355 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$800
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: St. Peter's United Methodist Church (Katy, Texas)
Date of Auction: 10/9/10
-
Sale price
$25 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed baseball
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$150 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$350
Item auctioned in 2011: Jacket
Charity: American Cancer Society
Date of Auction: 4/30/11
-
Sale price
$350 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$500
Item auctioned in 2011: Three autographed caps
Charity: Bellaire (Texas) Little League
Date of Auction: 4/29/11
-
Sale price
$150 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$300
Item auctioned in 2011: Rocketman jacket
Charity: Memorial Villages Police Officers Association
Date of Auction: 10/22/10
-
Sale price
$130 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$260
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed mini bat
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$110 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$200
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: NFL Alumni Golf Tournament
Date of Auction: 9/13/10
-
Sale price
$160 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Astros photo
Charity: St. Peter's United Methodist Church (Katy, Texas)
Date of Auction: 10/9/10
-
Sale price
$25 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Two mini home plates
Charity: Bellaire (Texas) Little League
Date of Auction: 4/29/11
-
Sale price
$50 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: All-Star ball
Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Date of Auction: 3/18/11
-
Sale price
$200 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Yankees mini plate
Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Date of Auction: 3/18/11
-
Sale price
$50 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: Kym Coleman Education Foundation
Date of Auction: 10/22/10
-
Sale price
$200 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Astros mini plate
Charity: Sunshine Kids Foundation
Date of Auction: 10/13/10
-
Sale price
$50 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: Woodlands (Texas) Celebrity Golf Classic
Date of Auction: 11/11/10
-
Sale price
$200 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: ValleyLife (Phoenix)
Date of Auction: 10/2/10
-
Sale price
$200 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Yankees pennant
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$30 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$75
Item auctioned in 2011: Baseball
Charity: Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association
Date of Auction: 8/19/10
-
Sale price
$210 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$250
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Yankees pennant
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$40 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$75
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Yankees pennant
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$40 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$75
Item auctioned in 2011: Rhinestone cap
Charity: Memorial Villages Police Officers Association
Date of Auction: 10/22/10
-
Sale price
$45 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$75
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Rocketman Cap
Charity: All-Star Concert for Handicapped Children
Date of Auction: 10/4/10
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Astros photo
Charity: Boys and Girls Country of Houston
Date of Auction: 4/3/11
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Rhinestone cap
Charity: Corvallis (Ore.) High School
Date of Auction: 4/16/11
-
Sale price
$50 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$75
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Yankees cap
Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Date of Auction: 3/18/11
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Astros photo
Charity: ESCAPE Family Resource Center
Date of Auction: 4/10/11
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Astros photo
Charity: Holy Cross School (Bay City, Texas)
Date of Auction: 4/3/11
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Red Sox home plate
Charity: Ace Barley Children's Foundation
Date of Auction: 8/2/10
-
Sale price
$75 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$100
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Astros notepad
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$30 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$50
Item auctioned in 2011: Autographed Astros notepad
Charity: Breakthrough House
Date of Auction: 10/16/10
-
Sale price
$30 -
Fair market value reported to IRS
$50
SOURCES: IRS filings
Patrick Garvin/Globe Staff