Comments on: Updates: Missouri Tax, VA State Licensing, Yoga and Religion in America

By: The State Debate: Is Yoga Taxable? Updates on Wash. DC, Missouri and Licensing in Texas

Tue, 11 May 2010 22:43:37 +0000

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By: Yoga For NY Benefit Party Jan 21: Get Your Drink On, Win Prizes, Support Yoga

Yoga For NY Benefit Party Jan 21: Get Your Drink On, Win Prizes, Support Yoga — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:34:20 +0000

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By: emma

emma — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:16:21 +0000

it’s an interesting discussion. i agree that yoga shouldn’t be put in there as a “church”… but it seems weird for it to be taxed, too. yeah. um. no good answers.

By: kanani

kanani — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:51:07 +0000

Well, let’s look at this. As Candice says, you can’t have it both ways.
I don’t a problem in paying 4% taxes. Many other professionals pay operating taxes to be licensed or in business. Your hair dresser or masseuse? Licensed. The acupuncturist? Licensed. The preschool teacher. Licensed. And all of them also have to pay for business licenses as well. While I don’t like is how states (during an economic upheaval) add on all sorts of fees that greatly affect small businesses… and this is definitely something to keep your eye on. But I wouldn’t go as far as deciding to get out of paying them by claiming my business to be akin to a church or temple.

Churches have their own set of rules they must adhere to for their tax exempt status. If a yoga instructor were to decide they were a church, then they would have to abide by all of those rules. Any assumption on the part of a yoga teacher that each student is there for spiritual reasons would be presumptuous. Not everyone is there for that, and as you saw on Facebook, many already have their own (and are happy with) deep spiritual beliefs rooted in theology.

Let’s put it this way: hiring a CPA to ensure your taxes are paid on time and in full is a lot easier than deciding to become a church.

By: Updates: Missouri Tax, VA State Licensing, Yoga and Religion in … at Flash Media

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:56:27 +0000

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By: Candice

Candice — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:19:11 +0000

while yoga may be a spiritual practice for some, for many it is not. There are traditions out there (like the Ananda community) that have worship services and a clear tradition and belief “system.” Most studios however do not teach in this way. If we want to be excluded from taxes, we would have to act more like churches adhering to the same expectations that government puts on them. I’m not sure that serves us or our students. We can’t have it both ways, I’m afraid, and I don’t think we should. But I agree you can’t (or shouldn’t) group all studios/teachers/traditions under one rule. Each studio would have to decide if it was a “church” or a business, and accept the benefits and limitations of either decision. Perhaps here asteya and satya would be the lenses through which we can discriminate what our real actions and place in this world should be.

By: Rock My Soles

Rock My Soles — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:03:34 +0000

What a shock government trying to tax a upwardly trending industry…