AICPA's "Feed the Pig" Weekly Savings Tip

Charitable Giving

In light of the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti, many people are looking to make a donation to help the victims and many organizations are trying to make it easy to do so. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a charitable donation to help ensure your kindness gets to those who need it most.

• Check to see if the charity is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization by the government (the designation means the organization has been set up for charitable purposes). Click here to search a listing of charities in the U.S.

• Check the Better Business Bureau Web site for information about the charity's mission, compensation, expenses and rating.

• Guidestart.org can also help you find some of the top rated charities and direct links to make donations. You can also check Guidestar for the charity’s most recent Form 990 to calculate what percentage of the charity’s donation go directly to those in need and what percentage goes to overhead.

• Do a little research online to see if there are postings, concerns or adverse ratings about the charity you are considering donating to. A lot of negative comments online could mean the charity is not what they represent themselves to be.

• When in doubt, give to a charity you are familiar with, such as the American Red Cross or your local community foundations or religious organizations. There are a lot of organizations who have already mobilized volunteers in Haiti to help those in need and could use your support.

Don’t let these few extra steps change your mind about making a donation—there are so many easy ways to help out. Even small donations contribute to the effort to help those in need.