Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
The fundamental element of the e-book and e-reader is that they eliminate the need to print books on paper, saving that paper for other uses. This environmentally conscious feature enables e-book users to rest a little easier about indulging in their habits. But when your e-reader begins to reach the end of its lifespan, or you wish to upgrade to a newer model, the issue of disposal comes up. Many of these devices can not only be recycled, but recycling is even encouraged by the manufacturers.
As an employee, donating to charity has a few very important incentives that you should know about. Learn about incentives for donating to charity as an employee with help from an experienced operations manager in this free video clip.
You can commonly claim charitable donations on your income taxes with certain exceptions. Find out what to do if your employer made a charitable donation on your behalf with help from an attorney in this free video clip.
Birthdays are truly a reason to celebrate. Whether the person having the birthday is turning 9 or 99, another year with family and friends is a real blessing. When the honoree has everything he needs, he may decide to have the guests donate gifts to a charity instead of bringing him gifts. You must handle this delicately to avoid offending guests.
Whether you redecorate your home or office, downsize or simply clear out furniture you do not use anymore, you can donate the furniture instead of throwing it away. Many non-profit organizations accept a wide range of donated furniture items, including chairs, tables, dressers, desks, cribs and headboards. They use the items at their organizations or give them to families or businesses in need. The organizations have various policies and procedures for donating items, but following a general procedure will help you donate furniture.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows taxpayers to receive a tax credit for both cash donations and noncash donations. Most donated items can be claimed on your taxes, which will reduce the amount of taxes you owe the IRS. Donated items can include children's clothing. The amount you can claim will be based on the fair market value of the clothing.
An organization should acknowledge all donations with a thank-you note or receipt letter. Thank-you letters are not only polite -- they are also a way to increase the likelihood of subsequent donations, foster donor loyalty and establish the foundation for lasting donor relationships.
Donations to charitable organizations can net you a large tax deduction at the end of the year, reducing the amount you owe the Internal Revenue Service. The rules for donating furniture, including tables, chairs and sofas, vary depending on the type of furniture you choose to give. Donations of used furniture has different rules than donating new furniture. Donations of antique furniture also have different rules and can require additional paperwork to prove value.
A godparent is a special person chosen to watch over a newly baptized child's religious life. Godparents have no legal responsibility over their godchildren, nor are they considered the legal guardian of the child if anything were to happen to the biological parents. However, godparents do have several other roles and responsibilities in their godchild's life.
The effects of a tornado on a community are devastating. Tornadoes do, however, provide a chance for people from many different backgrounds to pull together toward a common goal. Whether a tornado hits your community or another, no tornado victims can get by on their own. If you want to help people whose lives have been turned upside down by a tornado, you need to understand some of the ways that aid most effectively those in need.
Taxpayers have the option of taking credits for clothing donations made to qualified charities. The Charity Guide reports that Americans annually donate and discard approximately 70 pounds of used and damaged clothing. Charitable groups including Dress for Success, Salvation Army, AMVETS and state and local charities all accept donations of quality clothing for resale in thrift stores or for use directly by needy recipients.
Good books may be good friends, good medicine or even "lighthouses erected in the great sea of time," depending on your aphorism of choice. They also can pile up, making you look more hoarder than reader. When it's time to thin the stacks, think about donating them to a library or a charity. First step: tally their value. The Internet makes this task a lot easier than it used to be.
If giving out traditional wedding favors like chocolates, flowers or almonds sounds predictable, boring or even a waste of money, you may consider taking part in a rising trend: giving charitable donations as wedding favors. Couples who feel so inclined may make donations to charities of their choice in the names of their wedding guests, so that in lieu of spending money on small gifts, they send it along to a philanthropic cause.
Children outgrow clothes fast, and as a parent you have to periodically purchase new jackets that fit your child. Instead of tossing your child’s outgrown jacket, donate it so it can help keep someone else’s child warm. Local organizations, homeless shelters and churches collect jackets and help distribute them to families in need within your community.
Cleaning out closets and disposing of seldom-worn clothing is a chore that can be financially beneficial if you donate those clothes. Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept clean, gently used clothing. Other charitable organizations such as the Lupus Foundation of America periodically provide bags and schedule pickups of clothing and other items. It pays to keep track of clothing donations because they can be deducted on your income tax.
Receiving clothing donations to your organization can be a happy process. Understanding just what has been donated and how the clothing can be used though, will require you to inventory the items and create a record of just what you have. The inventory you conduct can be simple or detailed. How thorough you are depends on the way you intend to use the clothes. If you plan to send the clothing to an overseas charity, for example, intricate detail is not as important as if you are preparing the clothing for sale in a store. Whatever the intended use, conducting…
Making donations to a charitable organization allows you to deduct from your taxes the value of the items, including food. The charity to which you donate must be recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization to deduct the donations. The IRS website provides a search tool that allows taxpayers to identify recognized charitable organizations.
The Internal Revenue Service allows charitable-contribution tax deductions on your federal income tax return, but you can deduct only the fair market value of donated clothing. Fair market value is the amount for which you could resell the clothes in venues such as a consignment shop, a garage sale or an online auction. The value can also be the amount for which the donor charity would resell the clothing in a local thrift shop. The IRS does not provide any further guidance on calculating the reduced, or depreciated, value of donated clothing; the taxpayer must determine the value.
The Internal Revenue Service rewards charitable donations with a deduction on your income taxes. Before rushing to claim the deduction, know how the IRS defines a charitable contribution, how to value your contribution and the affect claiming those contributions will have on your income tax return.
Making charitable contributions is a good way to help community organizations and those in need. In many cases, it's also a good way to save money on federal income taxes. Before claiming a tax deduction for charitable contributions, it's helpful to be aware of the restrictions and limits that apply. Some contributions are not deductible.
There are various ways you can assess the value of your clothing donations to a charity; whichever method you choose, the IRS requires that it reflect each item’s fair market value. Valuation guides exist to help you choose the appropriate value for each article of clothing. However, if an item you donate is rare or valuable, a valuation guide isn’t always helpful.
As seasons and waistbands change, donating clothing is one of the more popular income tax deductions for those fortunate enough to be able to itemize deductions on a tax return. While there are no dollar-for-dollar tax credits for Goodwill clothing deductions, there may be substantial tax deductions. The challenging thing about being charitable in this way is determining the appropriate value to deduct. There are several matters to consider to avoid an audit while still getting the most for your generosity.
Everyone knows the drill: You clean out your closets and have piles of clothes and other items you no longer use and no longer wish to store. Goodwill is a common destination for these items, but did you know you could receive a tax benefit from your closet purge? Federal tax law provides for deductions for charitable contributions. This deduction covers both cash donations as well as property donations. While cash donations are easy to calculate, donations of property or services are trickier to value. Tax law dictates that the amount you deduct will be equal to the fair market…
Your non-cash property donations to charity are just as deductible as your cash donations. However, unlike your cash donations, you must assess the fair market value of each property donation you make since that value is the amount you can deduct. Various valuation methods exist for different types of property.
One of the most common and popular tax deductions is charitable giving. Whether giving to a church or other charity, many find the dual benefit of helping humanity and getting a tax receipt an irresistible combination. One of the more common methods of giving is through donating clothing. There are some specific guidelines when giving clothing that you must follow to maximize your deduction and shield yourself from an audit.
Among the IRS rules and regulations that can leave you scratching your head is the one about business donations. There are times when you can deduct business donations on your business income taxes and there are times when you can only deduct business donations on your personal income taxes only if you itemize deductions. The donation rules depend on your business' legal structure.
Americans are a nation of givers. According to the Center on Philanthropy, American individuals, corporations and foundations donated a total $303.75 billion in 2009. That number is only down 3 percent from 2008, despite the nation having been in the midst of a serious financial recession and high unemployment. Individuals' donations slipped by .4 percent to $227.41 billion in 2009, and corporate giving rose by 5.5 percent to an estimated $14.1 billion. Note that this figure does not include federal, state or local dollars spent in support of charitable/public benefit organizations and activities.
Various charitable organizations such as churches, thrift stores, nonprofits, schools and foundations are eligible to accept tax-deductible contributions. These come in many forms, including donated property, charitable dinner functions and other types of fundraisers. Internal Revenue Service-approved tax-exempt entities will ordinarily provide substantiation such as receipts and documentation for contributing to their organization.
To provide an tangible reward for taxpayers who make contributions to charity, the government allows them to claim an itemized income tax deduction. Contributions to charity can take different forms but fall into two categories: cash donations, which includes donations made by check or credit card, and donations of property. Knowing when to make your contribution and what documentation you need to verify your donation, should the Internal Revenue Service require it, can help you reduce your tax burden.
The early 20th century political strategist Mark Hanna once said, "Two things are important in politics. The first is money, and I can't remember what the second one is." Indeed, to elect a person to office in the United States or to see a particular piece of legislation passed, supporters must often be well capitalized. 501(c)(4)'s are private organizations designed to promote civic welfare that can lobby politically and receive money from non-U.S. citizens.
While it is a good idea to help out a few charities, there is no way you can donate to them all. It can be disheartening to have a large number of unsolicited charitable donation requests come in the mail, knowing you can't come to everyone's aid. According to the website Charity Navigator, there is no way to completely stop charitable donation solicitations. You can, however, take steps to reduce the number of solicitations you receive.
There are a number of reasons why you may wish to make a charitable donation in the name of another person. In some cases, donating in someone's name is a way to honor a deceased loved one's memory. Making a donation on behalf of someone is also a great gift idea for that person who has everything. If you choose to make a charitable donation in someone's name, you may still be entitled to deduct the donation on your tax return.
If you're getting rid of old clothing, consider donating if it's in good condition. Not only can you help someone less fortunate, but you can also receive an income tax break if you document your donations according to the Internal Revenue Service rules.
Job loss is a serious issue for anyone. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, there are 25.2 million blind and visually impaired adults in the United States. More than 70 percent under age 65 are unemployed. Many state, national and local organizations are ready to work with blind and visually impaired employees who face job loss. These organizations offer legal, financial and vocational assistance to help these individuals hold onto their housing.
In order for a contribution to be tax-deductible, it must meet a variety of IRS tax code requirements contained in IRS Publication 525. The first one is that it be made to a qualified organization and not be set aside for use by a specific person.
If you donate food, you are permitted to receive a tax benefit. Cash and property donations are eligible to be deducted from your federal and California state tax return. If you are planning to claim food donations, make sure you abide by the guidelines and hold onto any receipts associated with the donation.
Obtaining necessary medical care can be costly for any individual. This cost can soar with an unexpected or long-term medical condition. To meet these high costs, charities exist to assist families pay outstanding medical expenses. There are a variety of charities in the state of Texas which will give money to families to cover these medical costs.
To help charities raise money, the IRS allows charitable contributions to be deducted from taxes. You claim charitable deductions by electing to itemize your tax deductions. Your taxes will be reduced by the value of your charitable contributions and any of your other deductions. The maximum amount that you can claim from charitable contributions each year depends on the asset being donated and your adjusted gross income.
Making a donation to charity can not only make you feel better about yourself, but also make your budget feel slightly better about your income taxes. To maximize your deduction, you can include the costs you incur to get the donation to the charity, including your mileage for dropping off the donation at the charity.
The Tombstone Transcription Project is a nation-wide effort to record epitaphs by organizers of the USGenWeb Project Archives. The project seeks not only to record the data appearing on tombstones across the United States, but also to make the data universally available. The Tombstone Transcription Project also helps participants replace the deteriorating headstones of veterans by connecting volunteers to the Veteran Administration Headstone Program.
The end of the year is a busy time for second-hand and thrift stores. Taxpayers are often anxious to donate their excess or unneeded clothing before the year ends so that they can write off the value of the clothing as charitable gifts. While there are no hard and fast rules on the exact amount that specific items of clothing are worth, you can estimate the value of your donated clothing.
Organize and de-clutter your home by donating unwanted clothing, toys and books. Select a reputable charity organization to which you can donate or help out a friend by giving him a box of used clothing and other items. Clean out your house and children's toys several times a year and donate any unused items to help out those less fortunate. Keep track of the estimated value of all the items donated to organizations so you can write off the donations on your taxes.
Receipts are required for someone who wants to deduct the amount of a clothing donation to a church on his annual income taxes. Receipts must show the date of the donation, who made it, the organization receiving the donation and an estimated amount of donation. Churches must give the person donating the clothing a receipt or an annual donation letter.
There are two types of knitters in this world: Product knitters, who enjoy knitting in because it produces a certain item, and process knitters, who enjoy knitting for knitting's sake and don't care about the finished product. If you are a process knitter, you will eventually find that you have too many finished knitted items to ever use or give away to family and friends. A solution for you may be to knit for charity; if you are in Cincinnati, you will have plenty of charities to choose from.
The state of America's educational system has been a hot topic during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Some citizens and education experts believe that America's current educational system is effective in teaching students, while others believe the system is flawed. According to the 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment, the United States was ranked 25th and 21st in math and science, respectively, out of a total of 30 developed nations, a statistic that subsequently has some citizens alarmed. While it's nearly impossible for a person to improve America's educational system on his own, there are small things that can…
The 24-hour news cycle has created a proliferation of cable news networks and political websites, many with specialized agendas. The Reagan Report (Reagan.com) is a political website established in 1995 by Michael Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan. It provides current news and conservative opinion pieces written by Michael Reagan, as well as links to famous speeches given by President Ronald Reagan. According to Alexa.com, a website information company, the Reagan Report averages 1.4 million unique page-views per month.
"Millionaire City" is a game that you can sign up for using your Facebook account. This game lets you create your own city and choose what buildings and businesses should go up in the streets. Depending on your choices, you can make millions or go bankrupt. You can add friends who also play "Millionaire City" in the game to help boost business. If a friend needs help, you can donate money to her city to keep her city alive.
Donating toys for orphaned children is a wonderful way to bring joy to the lives of those who are in need. If you live in Pennsylvania, and you want to give a gift of toys for orphans, you can do this through a non-profit; such as Volunteers of America, the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania's Treasures for Children, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, or Second Chance Toys.
Toys provide children hours of imaginative fun and entertainment. If you have a house full of toys, it can be hard to imagine that there are children who have none. There are several organizations in the state of New Jersey that are dedicated to providing toys to children in need. If you have more toys than your kids know what to do with or even want to purchase new toys for needy children, consider donating to a local charity so other children may share the joy.
Many children all over the world need basic things, like clothing, food and shelter. Other children who have those basic needs might not be able to afford things like toys, books and other items. When you have more than you need, you might feel compelled to donate money or items to charities or organizations that work with underprivileged children. Decide what you want to give and then seek out an organization that can match your money or goods with the children who need it.
