Patrick Dwyer Merrill Lynch | Tips for Charitable Giving During the Holidays
As we enter the holiday season, the spirit of giving is in full swing. As much as 70 percent of consumers report plans to engage in some charitable activity, whether that involves volunteering time or simply donating money. If you’re planning to give back over the holidays, it can be tough to determine where or how to give. To help you make those decisions, I’ve compiled a few tips to help you make sure your donations make a positive impact.
Nonprofits can be controversial. People wonder if their donations are actually helping people in need or if they are just padding paychecks for directors. There are online tools that can help you make sure a nonprofit is legitimate, and looking into their program-expense ratio can help you gauge how much of their income is actually used to support their cause. Charity Navigator is a great tool to help you either look into charities you’re already aware of or to find reputable organizations that you might be passionate about.
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