Every four years, the federal government distributes money from the Fund to qualified Presidential candidates and national party committees for use in the Presidential elections. If there is any money left over at the end of the election, it remains in the fund and is used in the next election, four years later.

Who Receives this money?

Presidential Nominees in the General Election. – The Republican and Democratic nominees in the general election receive a fixed amount of this fund. (Nominees from other political parties may qualify for a smaller, proportionate amount of these funds. -If they receive over five percent of the vote.)

Party Nominating Conventions. - The national parties receive these funds to cover the costs of their national conventions held every four years to select their Presidential nominees.

Where does the money come from?

Checking the “yes” box does not increase the amount of tax you owe, nor does it decrease any refund to which you are entitled. So where does it come from?

Your tax dollars. Yes you actually get to decide where $3.00 of your tax goes.

The Taxpayer’s Choice

In establishing the program, Congress left the single most important decision to you, the taxpayer. You decide whether you want three dollars of your tax to be used for the Presidential funding program.

The choice is yours to voluntarily check yes or no.

As for me I chose “no”. It is my opinion that candidates will receive plenty of funds from supporters. With that I am sure that my three bucks worth of tax should be put to use for something more equitable.

 Bruce “the tax guy”