If you’re like me, you wait until the end of the year to make the bulk of your charitable contributions.

This week on Dollar Duo, John and I highlighted a smartgivers.org, a web site that you can use to help compare charities at this hectic time of the year.

John also has a lovely entry on his Dealspotter blog about how to find tax-decuctible homes for your unwanted, but in good condition items.

This morning, I interrupted my husband’s sports section reading to ask him what percentage of our income he thought we should donate to charity. Currently, it’s a paltry percent each year — a fact I feel ashamed of given the state of the economy and how well off we are compared to many others in the community and around the globe.

Shouldn’t this be the year when I should step up my giving? After all, during recessions, giving suffers slightly.

Plus the data show we’re stingy. (more…)

Bargain-hunters and shopping mavens, this reader needs your help:

Do you have any tips on where to get decent quality stuff (new or used) on a tight budget? I want to be environmentally and fiscally responsible and not buy anything that is going to fall apart and need to be replaced in a few years. I have some of the basics like a bed, but I am going to need some furniture and a washer and dryer.

I just gave some money to a fund set up for a sick friend. And I wondered if such a gift is tax deductible.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’d help someone I care about whether I get a tax break or not. But I’m trying to be more organized this year and if it were deductible, I’d want to put it in my 2008 taxes folder.

So I went over to IRS.gov and checked out its Charitable Contributions Publication 526. They have publications galore for your reading and searching pleasure there.And I found a handy list of donations that aren’t tax deductible:

• Money or property given to civic leagues, social and sports clubs, labor unions and chambers of commerce
• Most foreign organizations (except certain Canadian, Israeli and Mexican charities–hey I don’t make this stuff up)
• Groups that are run for personal property (you’d think that’s obvious, but we know someone out there’s gaming the system)
• Groups whose purpose is to lobby for law changes (I’d love clarification on what charity the IRS thinks doesn’t do this these days)
• Homeowners’ associations
• Individuals (like my friend)
• Political groups or candidates
• Cost of raffle, bingo, lotto tickets
• Country club dues, fees to lodges or fraternal orders or other orgs of that nature
• Tuition
• Value of your time or service
• Value of blood given to the blood bank (how much is blood even worth)

Whew!

Last year, we only donated a pathetic 1.5 percent of our income to charity. Part of the issue is without a giving plan in place, the giving was pushed towards the end of the year. Then I wanted to research new organizations and ran out of time. On the day after Christmas, I spent a hurried half an hour writing out checks and filling out online donation forms. This year, I hope to be more proactive.

How much do you give to charity?

Great story in the Wall Street Journal today about how 20 and 30-somethings are changing giving through social networking and other ways to connect.

It seems to me that giving is a topic that resonates strongly with many young adults, who sometimes get into the habit of giving to others before they save for themselves.

Each year, I’ve aimed to set a giving goal and find organizations I’d like to support early on the in the year so that I can tell doorknockers that I have a giving plan. But this year I’ve lacked the time to research new charities, which in my experience can be as work-intensive as scoping out new investments.

There are groups such as Guidestar and our homegrown Charities Review Council to help.

Young philanthopists may also wish to check out the L.E.A.D. Project, started by Gen X and Y Minnesotans to give back to the community while having cocktails at the pretty places.
Where else have you gone to learn about nonprofits and to create a giving goal?

I need to establish a plan pronto.