Do you donate this season

[Rajiv]

Donation and Charity is big in Canada, everyone is expected to give something in the office and SA ( Salvation Army ) is everywhere. I must say we either don't have "any" or "many" bogus companies in India thus this culture is so dead Unlike India, here it's mostly to do with actual gifts than cash Do you guys donate, how is US doing considering the situation? most of our gifts actually went to US this time due to the surplus here

[fineleg]

Many places in US also have donation drives, and people do contribute money / gifts. Its big in US too.

[Holysmoke]

I will be donating a lot of my stuff to my friends :--D

[Rajiv]

I gave away a TV ( year old ) this time, ( when I saw cans of Tuna and Barbie dolls )

[fineleg]

in b4 h4te makes silly remark

[coffee_rules]

Yes, I do. Always clothes/toys go to Salvation army. I don't donate to Red Cross for some reason. I did it after 9/11, but heard a lot of bad stories about them. I also donate to Sankara Eye Foundation and Pratham, in India every year.

[Brainfade]

Donation and Charity is big in Canada, ...

Interesting read in here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16638810/ Copy-pasted article below: World's most charitable nations A country's social and political cultures influence how much money citizens give to charity, according to a November 2006 study by England's Charities Aid Foundation that ranks philanthropic donation as a percentage of gross domestic product. Among nations surveyed, these 10 are the most generous. • 1. United States, 1.67 percent of GDP • 2. United Kingdom, 0.73 • 3. Canada, 0.72 • 4. Australia, 0.69 • 5. South Africa, 0.64 • 6. Ireland, 0.47 • 7. Netherlands, 0.45 • 8. Singapore, 0.29 • 9. New Zealand, 0.29 • 10. Turkey, 0.23 Federal tax laws -- notably low income tax, plus breaks for donations -- are often cited for American's generosity. As is religion, which drives one-third of U.S. charitable giving.

[coffee_rules]

I doubt USA figures are as high practically. There is a hidden rule in IRS, a min amount to charity in tax forms will not lead to an audit. You don't need any proof for that. I have known some who have listed 1800 USD in their tax forms and never got audited. This will reduce the tax you owe by some amount. So, the above figures are from tax forms, then it is bogus.

[Brainfade]

I doubt USA figures are as high practically. There is a hidden rule in IRS' date=' a min amount to charity in tax forms will not lead to an audit. You don't need any proof for that. I have known some who have listed 1800 USD in their tax forms and never got audited. This will reduce the tax you owe by some amount. So, the above figures are from tax forms, then it is bogus.[/quote'] Do we know that the numbers from the other countries are not contrived, either? You go with the best available data.

[Guest dada_rocks]

most of my yearly commitments happen in this month of the year

[flamy]

ok, get me a cup and let's get this over with

[coffee_rules]

Do we know that the numbers from the other countries are not contrived' date=' either? You go with the best available data.[/quote'] I spoke only from the USA pov. It's almost double than other countries, which doesn't seem so, practically. Anyway, I am not sure if there is a tax advantage in other countries for individuals to hype up their charities.

[Brainfade]

I spoke only from the USA pov. It's almost double than other countries' date=' which doesn't seem so, practically. Anyway, I am not sure if there is a tax advantage in other countries for individuals to hype up their charities.[/quote'] Not really sure. But I was a bit jobless this afternoon, and looked up your initial premise. What I saw is the opposite of what you said. Here's an example: 4. You can be too rich and too generous You can never be too rich or too thin, or so the old saying goes. But when it comes to the IRS, you can earn too much and give too much to charity. Audits of taxpayers reporting incomes over $200,000 increased by 18 percent in 2006, according to the General Accountability Office. And, if charitable contributions exceed 10 percent of your income – regardless of what it is -- it can set off all kinds of alarm bells. Source: http://www.lendingtree.com/smartborrower/7-for-7/money-management/tips-to-avoid-an-irs-audit/ Another one: Deductions the IRS Are Likely to Challenge Tax law mandates that certain deductions must exceed a minimum percentage of your income before you can claim them. For example, medical deductions must exceed 7.5 percent of your income, and casualty loss deductions (e.g., a fire loss) must exceed 10 percent before you can claim them. Only a small number of taxpayers qualify, so if you claim these deductions, keep careful records. The IRS is also likely to look at your contributions to charity. If you deduct more than the IRS’s statistical norms, you may be audited. You must have a receipt containing certain specific information (not just a canceled check) for any single donation of $250 or more. If you don’t have a receipt, the IRS may disallow the deduction. Source: http://www.metlife.com/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/PageGenerator/0,4132,P14923,00.html I think the main reason for the US being as high is religion. I'd bet that "tithing" (giving to the church) counts for a large percentage of the charities.

[Desi Cartman]

nopes nothing over X'mas but I have been supporting Save the children (link) for last 4-5 years.

[Cricketics]

i have started buying coffee from a store which gets less business than star bucks(both are located very near to each other). Taste is not too different, and if many people can think like this, it would be kool