It’s the holiday season! The time of love, joy, and generosity! We are besieged by ads on every type of media from those wanting donations. Requests come from any means you can consider, they come at us from all directions, and they cover every area of charity choice.
We can support local charities, national hospitals, animal causes, children, and if we’ve received care somewhere, we may get a donation request from that entity. Charities we’ve supported in the past solicit support. Many of the charities we have supported sell our contact information to other organizations so that broadens the network of requests.
It’s an upcoming election year! The time to raise fear and loathing, and solicit support for YOUR party. Mixed with all the other requests are requests from candidates, PACs, and other partisan organizations. It doesn’t matter what our political affiliation is, we get requests from ALL of them!
It’s the end of 2023 which means….wait for it…..tax time! Many people time their charitable contributions to coincide with the end of the year and claim allowable donations on income taxes.
Donations are critical. Organizations depend on the generosity of donors to support their programs. We’ve seen funding cuts and changes in funding that have had a negative impact on social programs which makes donations much more important.
But – we have to be cautious.
There are several things to consider:
*If you’re being solicited by phone, ask them to mail you information. Write a script to keep you on track. Don’t be pressured to act now! Don’t be afraid to say “no”.
*Beware of requests for gift cards.
*If it’s an online request, check out the URL. Look for misspellings or slight deviations in the name of the organization. Make sure there is an “https” prefix to the URL indicating a secure site.
*Do not give personal identifying information such as your Social Security number, Medicare number, or bank account numbers.
*Is it a legitimate charity? The Federal Trade Commission offers advice to consumers who are considering a charitable donation.
*How are donations spent? What percentage goes to the “cause”? What goes toward administration? You can check on charities through Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, or Guide Star. You can contact your state’s charity regulator to verify that the organization is registered to raise money there.
*Consider donating to a local charity that aligns with YOUR personal mission but research those as well.
*The Internal Revenue Service maintains an online database where you can check whether an organization is a registered charity and if your donation will be tax-deductible.
*For more information on your taxes, contact your accountant or tax preparer.
Charitable contributions are greatly appreciated. They constitute huge parts of many organizations’ budgets. Donate. Be as generous as you can. Check the charity for legitimacy and how donations are spent. Verify tax guidelines if you are seeking tax credit. Be cautious. Don’t fall for a scam.
Happy Holidays!
Stay safe!
