Fee Disclosure
The short version
The amount you pledge is the amount that can be charged — fees are included in it. You always see the fee before you commit.
How a forfeit breaks down
If you don't meet your goal, your pledge is charged and split like this before the charity is paid:
| Component | Amount (on a $50 pledge) |
|---|---|
| Platform fee (3.5%–5%) | ~$1.75–$2.50 |
| Payment processing (~2.9% + $0.30) | ~$1.75 |
| Charity receives (net) | ~$45.75–$46.50 |
At stake time we show this plainly, e.g. "your $50 pledge includes ~$4 in fees."
Corporate matches
When an employer matches an employee's stake, the full match is donated to the charity with no platform fee — the corporate side is funded by a per-seat software subscription, not by a cut of donations.
Where the money goes
On failure, your pledge is charged and routed to the charity you chose through a charitable-disbursement provider (e.g., Every.org / Pledge.to), which acts as the donor of record and issues any receipt. FitStakes never holds a pool of user or charitable funds.
Tax treatment (confirm with a professional)
- Individual forfeit: treated as a structural philanthropic processing fee / contractual penalty — not a personal tax-deductible charitable donation to you.
- Corporate match: structured as a direct corporate grant to the charity, intended to be tax-deductible for the company; employers receive an aggregated quarterly receipt.