By
eHow Personal Finance Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- IRS Forms
- Calculators
- Accounting Services
- Bank Account
- Tax Preparation Software
Step1
Determine how much you want to donate annually. Meet with an accountant or tax preparer to identify an appropriate amount for your personal financial situation.
Step2
Decide whether you want to donate to just one charity or to multiple charities.
Step3
Contact the charities and ask them to provide you with information about the donation process.
Step4
Determine, with your accountant or tax preparer, the optimal time to donate the money or property.
Step5
Give your donation.
Step6
Ask for a receipt that details your donation.
Step7
Keep records of the value of any property you donate.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Consider making it a personal policy not to give money over the phone or when someone comes to your door. Though many legitimate charities solicit donations this way, many scam artists also use these tactics to try and get your money. If you're interested in giving to one of these organizations, ask for some literature. Then you can check if the charity is legit, research their operations, and decide if you want to contribute at your own pace.
Anonymous said
on 2/28/2006 At www.CharityNavigator.org, America's premier independent charity evaluator, donors can review the financial health of thousands of America's charities for free. The site also features original opinion pieces by Charity Navigator experts, donation tips, and top-10 and bottom-10 lists which rank efficient and inefficient organizations in a number of categories. The site is easily navigable by charity name, location or type of activity.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The Better Business Bureau reviews and reports on charities. Reports on charities are available at www.bbb.org and www.newyork.bbb.org. NY-BBB has a 54-page Giving Guide listing about 350 area charities, their missions, spending ratios and other info.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Contact a local church for a needy family. We buy a gift certificate to a grocery store, buy and wrap gifts, give stocking stuffers, then deliver everything a few days before Christmas. This makes giving more personal for our children.