Feeling a bit like Ebenezer Scrooge? It is still early yet this December so there's time for prepping, shopping, and holiday parties. And if you should find redemption after meeting the three Ghosts of Christmas, you may find yourself wanting to gift some of your appreciated stock to a qualified charity. If so, here's a quick article on valuing your charitable stock donation.
3 Reasons Why I Walk at the March for Babies
This weekend millions of people will gather around the United States and join together in the fight to end premature birth. The March for Babies is held yearly in over a thousand communities with the proceeds going to fund March of Dimes research to prevent premature births, birth defects and infant mortality.
This will be the 3rd year that my family participates in this wonderful event. Last year Runnymede was a top corporate fundraiser in Morris County and once again we are hoping to be a big contributor. If you would like to help with a donation, any amount would help the cause, even if only a dime.
Here are 3 reasons why I walk at the March for Babies:
Qualified Charitable Distribution from IRAs Permanently Extended
Officially approved by Congress on December 18th, 2015, there will be no more waiting until the final weeks of December (or beyond) to see if Congress will extend the Qualified Charitable Distribution from IRAs. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 includes a provision to permanently extend the ability of individuals at least 70½ years of age to exclude from gross income qualified charitable distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) of up to $100,000 per taxpayer in any tax year.
3 Ways to Maximize Your Charitable Giving on #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday refers to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and was a movement started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. This national day of giving was a response to the commercialization and consumerism that created Black Friday and Cyber Monday. #GivingTuesday has seen significant growth since 2012. Last year, it brought in over $45 million, a 63% increase over 2013. While this is impressive growth, it is merely a rounding error in comparison to Black Friday and Cyber Monday which are expected to bring in $13 billion in sales in 2015. Let's help flip that script and raise more money for charities in 2015!
Why I Walk at the March for Babies
Last month, Apple's Tim Cook made headlines as he told Fortune magazine that he plans to donate his estimated $785 million fortune to charity — after paying for his 10-year-old nephew's college education. Cook said, “”You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripples for change.””
While the average person doesn't have millions of dollars to give away, it is important to have a meaningful life and make a difference in the world. One way to do this is to find a worthy cause that resonates with your soul. Whether you donate unneeded household items, give money, or volunteer your time, there are many ways to get involved. In the end, you will help create the ripples for change, and you will create more joy for yourself while you are at it.
3 tips to increase the impact of your charitable giving
With 2013 coming to a close, you still have time for year end charitable giving. While Uncle Sam may be taking more from your pockets in the form of taxes this year, one way to reduce your taxable income is to donate to charity. Let's take a look at 3 tips to increase the impact of your charitable giving to make it an even bigger win-win.