Experts offer tips for successful charitable donations

The holidays are about receiving as well as giving, and many people tend to give more donations to charity groups this time of year.

Sean Spence, a manager at the Better Business Bureau, recommends making sure your donations make it to the intended cause.

“There are plenty of people who need your money and will put it to good use,” he said.

Spence said it’s important to research your intended charity to make sure it is legitimate.

“If something feels like it’s not quite right then there’s no reason not to just find another organization,” he said.

By asking questions, you can find out if an organization has your best interests at heart.

“Some organizations are dealing with very worthwhile issues,” Spence said. “They’re working very hard to deal with them legitimately but they’re spending a lot of money on overhead and maybe not getting enough money to the specific need as you would want.”

Websites such as GuideStar can help you with that search and let you know exactly what your donation money will go to.

Once you’ve vetted the organization and given your donation, you then have to think about possibly deducting that gift from your taxes.

“In order to deduct they have to itemize,” said Garry Weiss, a certified public accountant. “If they’re doing a standard, they don’t get a deduction for a charitable.”

Weiss recommends keeping receipts or requesting proof, in case you are audited by the IRS.

“If it’s under $250 you can do that with a check or a bank memo,” he said. “If it’s over that in one day to any one organization, you’re going to need a written receipt from that organization.”

Weiss said in order for the donation to count toward this year’s taxes, donations must be made by Dec. 31.