Progressives are gleefully speculating on the tax avoidance strategies which will be revealed in Mitt Romney's tax returns. All presumably legal, but perhaps shocking to most Americans who have no idea about the loopholes available to the wealthy.
But today I am wondering how Romney's accountant has been handling his Mormon obligation to tithe 10% of his income.
This obligation to tithe is purely ethical/religious rather than legal. It would seem to be unethical to search for special interpretations of scripture in order to "hide" tithe-able income from GOD. So I am wondering if Mr Romney uses all the typical IRS strategies to "reduce" the income figure on which he bases his tithing? Do Mormons believe that earned income should tithe at 10% while investment income should tithe at only 5%? Does he reduce his "tithe-able income" by subtracting mortgage interest? Can a "good Mormon" utilize the "carried interest" method of exempting income from the tithing formula? If he has set up a separate Romney Family Charitable Trust, which contributes to the Church, does he consider that as part of his "personal" tithe? I would have thought that the Trust was a separate person. I wonder if Mormons have an official position on these questions of religious ethics?