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jps
LIF Toddler
Member since 11/09 435 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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what % of your income...
do you donate to charity each year?
also, do you usually donate to a particular charity you support or do you donate when friends are fundraising?
We don't really donate very much, but we try to kick in a little here and there when people we know are fundraising for a particular cause (ex: running a marathon to raise money for X disease). I feel a little guilty because I feel like maybe we should do more... 
Message edited 1/20/2010 7:59:01 PM.
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Posted 1/20/10 7:58 PM  |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: what % of your income...
Gross or net income?
ETA -- because about 40% of my "income" gets involuntarily donated to the government every year. 
Message edited 1/20/2010 8:10:49 PM.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:09 PM |
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jps
LIF Toddler
Member since 11/09 435 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by Kara
Gross or net income?
ETA -- because about 40% of my "income" gets involuntarily donated to the government every year.
good question! i was initially thinking gross but maybe net makes more sense.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:13 PM |
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TheWhiteRabbit
Thru the rabbit hole!
Member since 7/06 4412 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING 
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000??? 
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:25 PM |
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LightUpOurLife
Totally in love
Member since 8/06 12785 total posts
Name:
Bonnie-Jean
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Re: what % of your income...
Honestly, very little. I donate my time instead.
I purchase things for the shelter, but never added it up. Stupid, I know.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:29 PM |
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CathyB
Member since 5/05 19403 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by KittyTheStray
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000???
We never claim what we donate on our taxes. Doesn't mean that we're not donating.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:33 PM |
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NinaLemon
It's a boy!!!
Member since 10/07 6453 total posts
Name:
Jeannine
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Re: what % of your income...
I think there are more ways than just giving money to make donations.
We rarely donate money, but often donate time. DH donates time to community theaters doing lighting. I volunteer as the VP for a non-profit charitable organization, I also run charity workshops to make quilts for various groups. Last weekend we made 4 quilts to give to the VA hospital, on Monday we had a large group and made over 100 infant quilts. The only time we really donate money is to the volunteer fire dept. or when kids come around selling for school. It is too bad that the gov't only allows you to use money donations as deductions.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:34 PM |
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Re: what % of your income...
I grew up in a "there but for the grace of God go I" household and was taught from a very young age that you give what you can. This includes money, time, things, whatever. I continue to give what I can, which very fortunately for me is probably a good 10% of my income. You never do know when you might wind up on the receiving end and rely on the generosity of another person.
The charities I give most to are St. Judes Children's Hospital, my local church (food/holiday gifts), American Cancer Society and fund raising for my nieces and nephews.
Message edited 1/20/2010 9:00:54 PM.
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| Posted 1/20/10 8:57 PM |
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NYCbride09
LIF Infant
Member since 1/10 69 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: what % of your income...
My charity is St Judes Childrens research Hospital.
I want to know the money I donate does good...and I knowb its being spent the way it was intended.
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| Posted 1/20/10 9:56 PM |
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hbugal
Lesigh
Member since 2/07 15928 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
I dont donate a ton of actual cash...
But I donate a ton of clothes, furniture, etc to Goodwill and St Vincent DePaul etc...
I also donate services to the JCC...
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| Posted 1/20/10 10:08 PM |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: what % of your income...
I do not know a percentage.
But I we donate to our college every year.
St. Jude's
Blue Cross
And various fundraisers.
Often at my work they collect for vaious things and I donate.
We also give a lot of things to goodwill every year clothes, shoes, bags etc.
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| Posted 1/21/10 8:04 AM |
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BunnyWife
Insert Witty Comment Here
Member since 5/07 8274 total posts
Name:
BunnyWife
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Re: what % of your income...
Not sure of percentages but we do donate regularly to:
Doctors Without Borders
NPR/WNYC
Housing Works
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| Posted 1/21/10 9:48 AM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: what % of your income...
Honestly? I never thought of it in % terms. We give when we can. There have been times in our lives when we needed literally 100% of our income (and then some) just to pay bills and buy groceries. When we have extra we give what we can.. so the percentages vary depending on our circumstances. We also try to give time - so even when we don't have $$ we do put in some effort.
We do have a charity that we are particuarly fond of. We also have some that we donate to irregularly.
Message edited 1/21/2010 10:03:01 AM.
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| Posted 1/21/10 10:01 AM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by CathyB
Posted by KittyTheStray
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000???
We never claim what we donate on our taxes. Doesn't mean that we're not donating.
Same here.
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| Posted 1/21/10 10:04 AM |
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CouponKT
Our family is complete
Member since 6/06 16494 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: what % of your income...
I look at it as I am very thankful to make the $ I do. Not that it is much (at all!) but I am thankful that I don't have medical bills, legal woes or physical reasons for me to not have any income at all.
I donate to my church every week and I am happy to do it. For the amount of $ I donate, I could be driving an hot car or going on nice vacations, but I am happier knowing that my donations could help a lot more people than just myself 
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| Posted 1/21/10 10:18 AM |
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EsquireFish
LIF Adult
Member since 3/09 1259 total posts
Name:
G
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Re: what % of your income...
I usually donate to charities supported by friends each year, but the majority of my "donations" are time -- every week I bring leftover food/bakery items from a restuarant to a soup kitchen. The organization just tells me where I need to go to pick up the food.
I understand that not everyone can donate money, but most people can find an hour or two per month at least and donate time somewhere (try NY Cares if you need ideas -- they arrange the projects, but they need the manpower -- I once organized an entire middle school library in the Bronx with about 15 other volunteers one weekend). Or ask your local religious organizations -- many may run soup kitchens or do charity work that isn't religiously affiliated at all, it is just people helping other people.
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| Posted 1/21/10 10:34 AM |
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Blu-ize
Plan B is Now Plan A
Member since 7/05 32475 total posts
Name:
Susan
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Re: what % of your income...
Don't know a %. We donate regularly to several charities throughout the year and we always donate clothes.
We always claim it on our taxes.
Message edited 1/21/2010 11:02:48 AM.
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| Posted 1/21/10 11:02 AM |
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seaside
LIF Adult
Member since 6/08 3101 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
The way I see it, if I have $$ for extras like cable tv, dinners out, etc., even if it's not as much as I'd like, there's no excuse for not donating a portion of what I take home. It's the only decent thing to do.
No one can cry poverty when they go to starbucks, watch hbo,etc.
St. Jude's is my favorite charity.
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| Posted 1/21/10 11:55 AM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by rojerono
Posted by CathyB
Posted by KittyTheStray
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000???
We never claim what we donate on our taxes. Doesn't mean that we're not donating.
Same here.
Can I ask why? Is it because you don't itemize deductions?
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| Posted 1/21/10 12:28 PM |
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TheWhiteRabbit
Thru the rabbit hole!
Member since 7/06 4412 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by seaside
The way I see it, if I have $$ for extras like cable tv, dinners out, etc., even if it's not as much as I'd like, there's no excuse for not donating a portion of what I take home. It's the only decent thing to do.
No one can cry poverty when they go to starbucks, watch hbo,etc.
St. Jude's is my favorite charity.
ITA with this 100% and WHY I said I think it's 'sad' when people don't donate!
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| Posted 1/21/10 12:35 PM |
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TheWhiteRabbit
Thru the rabbit hole!
Member since 7/06 4412 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
Message edited 9/17/2013 2:21:55 PM.
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| Posted 1/21/10 12:37 PM |
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Janice
Sweet Jessie Quinn
Member since 5/05 27567 total posts
Name:
Janice
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Re: what % of your income...
well if we can count homeless, deadbeat inlaws, then we contribute quite a bit.
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| Posted 1/21/10 12:49 PM |
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CouponKT
Our family is complete
Member since 6/06 16494 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by Janice
well if we can count homeless, deadbeat inlaws, then we contribute quite a bit.
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| Posted 1/21/10 12:51 PM |
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CathyB
Member since 5/05 19403 total posts
Name:
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by Kara
Posted by rojerono
Posted by CathyB
Posted by KittyTheStray
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000???
We never claim what we donate on our taxes. Doesn't mean that we're not donating.
Same here.
Can I ask why? Is it because you don't itemize deductions?
DH feels like since we are donating because we feel strongly about the cause and not doing it for the write off, if we don't take the write off it's sort of like making an additional donation that year to the government. I don't know how to explain it better.
It drives him insane when celebrities or the uber-wealthly go on and on in the media about how they don't think they are taxed enough, he feels like they should write a check to the gov't for the amount they feel would be fair, it's not like they are going to turn away the money.
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| Posted 1/21/10 1:42 PM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: what % of your income...
Posted by Kara
Posted by rojerono
Posted by CathyB
Posted by KittyTheStray
As a tax return preparer, I can tell you 95% of people donate almost NOTHING
I find this so sad... ESPECIALLY for guys who are making MILLIONS. I mean really, you can't even give $1,000???
We never claim what we donate on our taxes. Doesn't mean that we're not donating.
Same here.
Can I ask why? Is it because you don't itemize deductions?
For me it is because I don't keep the little tickets I get or bother asking for them. I have the check #'s and whatever, but it always seems like more trouble than it's worth. My CPA offered to just put in the amount and assured us that we wouldn't have to account for it anytime soon - but I'm not willing to take that chance!
Also - you don't ever let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. I do it to help.. not to get a tax break.
ETA: I am not implying that other people who claim donations are doing it for the tax benefit.. it's just a weird thing that my dad taught us.
Message edited 1/21/2010 1:46:01 PM.
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| Posted 1/21/10 1:43 PM |
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