Charity. Charity is one of the greatest ideas ever conceived by human beings. The fact that we value helping the less fortunate of our species sets us apart from most animals. Being charitable is considered a virtue, and it is a wonderful thing to do. There are many people out there with above average problems. Poverty, starvation, disease, cancer, those affected by disasters, those in undeveloped third world countries. With all of these people that are forced to suffer unfairly, it is a great notion that humanity came up with the idea that we should help them.
It's fairly easy to donate to charity. Many major corporations support a charity or two throughout the year. Frequently they ask for a mere dollar or two with your purchase. Just the simple act of being a consumer will lead you to many charitable causes. Watching television is another easy way to find charities. Frequently, a commercial will pop up that promotes a charity, and gives contact information for where to send money, or who to call. Donating via the internet is another easy way to find charities. With the internet though, you have to be a little savvy, because there are scams out there, which pretend to be charities and seek donations, but are not legitimate, and the money you send doesn't go to those less fortunate. They merely go into some scammer's pocket.
If you find a charity online that you think is legitimate, you have to do a little extra research. Lets say, for example, you find a charity called 'the american charity for cancer survivors'. Sounds legit, right? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. You could google 'the american charity for cancer survivors scam' and if it is a scam, you could probably find people talking about it.
Other strategies to attempt to detect a scam, if you are contacted by someone, is to ask for the charities name, address, and phone number. You may also ask how much of your donation goes to the charity. Most, if not all charities, are state regulated. So, you can check with the state to see if a self proclaimed charity is legitimate. You can go here to check your state's records of legitimate charities. This link was found on an official government website here.
Many people pick a charitable cause to donate to for personal reasons. A close friend or family member is afflicted with a disease or other tragedy, and this often inspires people to donate to a charity that assists those affected by the same problem. The good news is, there is a legitimate charity for virtually every affliction that exists. Cancer, aids (just about every disease in existence actually), poverty, famine, countries, struggling families, the elderly, children.. the list goes on and on! So, if you wish to donate to a charity, you can pretty much choose whatever cause you like and donate. The trick is finding a charity that truly supports that cause to which you wish to donate. As mentioned above, online donations will lead you to the charity you wish to support, but you must be wary of scammers!
Donating to charity is fulfilling in and of itself, to help people less fortunate than yourself. However, there is typically an added benefit to donating to a charity. It is tax deductible! That means that generally, donating to a charity will allow you to report a lower taxable income and thus reduce your tax liability. Basically, its like choosing where your tax dollars go. There are limitations, requirements, and restrictions to be aware of, and you have to keep track of your donations, but it's really a great government initiative.
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