Israel Banking

Banking blogs that are specific to banks in Israel

Why International Nonprofits Should Consider Incorporation

"Registration Desk Sign" by NHS Confederation

“Why or why not should one be incorporated?” is the question American lawyer Don Kramer asked in his Weekly E-Newsletter back in 2010.

For Mr. Kramer, the question is a legal one. The pros and cons that he outlines deal with personal liability and procedural/substantive questions. His fantastically succinct answer refers to state statute and case law.

For some, incorporation is relevant not because of legal concerns but rather taxation benefits. Others might contemplate incorporation through the lense of fundraising and its effects on donors. And yet to others, the act of incorporation or registration is simply a question of time and money — lacking either of the two might automatically render incorporation as an unwarranted expense.

As a banker, and more specifically, as a banker that deals with international nonprofits, I’m interested in easing a charity’s ability to open and manage a bank account.

So like any good Jew, I’ll answer a question with a question. When seeking to solve the riddle of “Should I incorporate?” I ask the following: Will your charity operate internationally?

If the answer is yes, then incorporate. It will make banking a whole lot easier.

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4 Reasons Why NOT to Establish an "American Friends of" Organization

Israeli charities (amutot in Hebrew) rely on donations from overseas – no secret there. Many foreign-based charities choose to create an American based nonprofit, more commonly referred to as a “Friends of” organization so donations can be tax-deductible vis-a-vis the American Federal Government. (In a previous post, I spoke about IRS trends when a “Friends of Organization” is applying for tax-exempt status.)

However, it could be that establishing a “Friends of” organization is not in your charity’s best interest. The following are some considerations that elaborate on: Why not to raise funds through a U.S. registered “Friends of” Organization?

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Understanding Credit in Israel, Pt 2: Bridge Loan vs. Line of Credit

In a previous post, I mentioned that a loan and a line of credit serve the same purpose. While that may be true in a broad sense, they actually can be quite different. Hence, the different names. The bank will look at both types of credit the same way, evaluating the amount of credit requested against the amount and type of collateral offered. The customer, however, only cares about one thing, which option is cheaper.

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Understanding Credit in Israel, Pt 1: Types of Credit

It is logical to assume that if a bank wants to appeal to the nonprofit community then it has to understand the nonprofit organization’s way of thinking (that’s where I come in). The opposite should also be true. If a charitable institution wants to appeal to a bank then it must understand the bank’s way of thinking. This is especially the case when using or applying for credit from a bank.

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