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Taking Points from Maaser

Is maaser only counted if one gives money or can one calculate the value of a gift and take it off one’s maaser cheshbon? For eg. I have points on my credit card that can be used to buy an airline ticket. Can I buy an airline ticket for a poor relative with these points and then the cash value of the ticket off my maaser cheshbon?

Answer:

You can take the value of the points off from your “maaser account,” provided that the poor relative is in need of the ticket.

The actual value of the ticket can be deducted from maaser is the ticket can be sold to somebody else, which I assume is not the case. If the ticket is non-transferable and cannot be sold, the maaser contribution will actual be the value of the points, which is generally a little less than the actual value of the ticket (there is usually some “market” for these points).

Best wishes.

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