Local teacher receives IRS bill after raising money for families struggling during COVID

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    MANSFIELD, Connecticut (WFSB) — Imagine raising money to help others and learn that you owe the government some money?

A Mansfield Center man found himself with a staggering IRS bill for more than $16,000.

Louis Goffinet spent his time during the pandemic helping families make ends meet.

“We’d go out and grocery shop for families. On weekends, we were there in Walmart for hours at a time shopping for multiple families,” Goffinet.

Sometimes, he would also help people with their bills.

Donations from people made Goffinet’s work possible.

“Those fundraisers raised about $41,000 through Facebook and now I’m being subject to, I believe, income tax,” Goffinet said.

More than $16,000 is how much his purposeful acts of kindness cost him. He told Channel 3 he recorded his spending and every penny went towards relief for families financially affected by COVID.

Tax expert Sara Spodick of Quinnipiac University believes this story is about money paid out to a person and doesn’t end there. Per law, Facebook is required to send a 1099K.

“If there’s an offset to that kind of income, meaning how he spent it on groceries and gifts he’s given to [families], then he can do that,” Spodick said.

Initially, Goffinet used an online software program to file. With a tax professional’s help, Spodick says it’s likely the local teacher may see a happy ending.

“Bottom line, you’re not expecting a tax bill, right? Bottom line, based on the facts and things I’ve seen, I don’t expect a tax bill,” Spodick said.

“I really found as I’m reflecting on the whole process that it’s really changed me,” Goffinet said.

Channel 3 learned tax professionals are interested in help sort this case for Goffinet, and if he does have to pay anything, three donors are willing to pay the bill in its entirety.

If you find yourself raising money online, here’s what you need to know. Expect to get a 1099K form as third-party transaction sites will send you one if you transactions exceed $20,000.

Keep specific records of every donation and how the money was spent and be sure to consult with a tax professional, especially if you’ll need to appeal a tax bill.

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