Question:
Shalom,
It turns out that I made a mistake in calculating my income for the year 5780. My income was really higher than I thought.
Should I just calculate 10% (or 20% since I go with chomesh) of the additional income I discovered and pay now, even though the year has passed?
In addition, I realize that during that year, I paid some of my ma’aser/chomesh to pay off debts to a yeshiva, which is halachically inappropriate. Can I /should I simply correct this mistake now as well by given the relevant sum to a fitting candidate?
Thanks in advance for your time
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
Although maaser should be given according the specific year the money was earned, if it wasn’t, it can still be given later. Therefore in regarding both of your questions you can now makeup the maaser that you have not yet given.
Hashem should help you that in the zechus of your keeping the halachos of maaser correctly, that you should be zoche to the bracha and wealth that Hashem gives for this mitzva.
Best wishes
Sources:
Emek Teshuva 284, Tzedakah Vchesed 5 ftnt. 39.
A follow up question:
As I said, I discovered a few transactions (let’s say 5, for example) that represent additional income that I wasn’t aware of.
But I also discovered a transaction that was an expense/ loss of income that I wasn’t aware of (I forgot to deduct US Income Tax from my calculation of ma’aserable income).
Am I allowed to incorporate this loss of income that I discovered into a calculation of how much ma’aser I must now pay? On the whole I have additional income that I wasn’t aware of.
Thank you in advance!
The losses and gains can cancel each other out, and whatever the remainder is should be “maasered”.
Leave a comment