Taxation & Estate Planning

If you are wanting to make a charitable donation, but aren't sure about which charity to choose, or you want to check on a charity to see what they spend on administrative costs and overhead - try a website like Charity Navigator. 

In addition to rating charities, it also contains information about What to Do When A Charity Calls (be wary, get something in writing, do your research, and don't give out private or credit card information to inbound callers), Protecting Yourself From Online Scams (again, be wary, don't give out information based on unsolicited emails, delete unknown emails with attachments), and How to Stop Solicitations by Mail (request that your name not be shared with other charities, call the charity directly to stop the mail, and avoid giving lots of small donations to many charities.)

When making a gift of charity, you want to be sure your money will be used properly by an organization you trust. So always do your homework, and ask lots of questions, before you give.