Topic: USO

In lieu of gifts … write a check!

By Christine Anne Piesyk | November 2, 2007 |

The holidays seem to begin in November, leading up to Thanksgiving and of course, Hanukah, Christmas and Kwanza. It becomes a frenzy on “Black Friday,” when hordes of shoppers line up at midnight or in the wee hours in an attempt to get the best deals and the early bird.

Many of us already have the things we really want or need, so we’ve turned to a different kind of shopping: we seek out places and organizations that would benefit from charitable contributions, a donation “in lieu of…” random gifts. Because we also like to see these supporting gifts in action, we keep most of our charitable giving “local.”

With that in mind, Clarksville Online is launching this holiday season with a list of organizations whose work we admire and support; it is an eclectic list of organizations that in one way or another has direct impact on the people of our community. «Read the rest of this article»

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Suport the USO; support our troops

By Rev. Charles Moreland | October 4, 2007 |

In our St. Louis neighborhood, at the church we attended regularly, we were taught early on that giving is a virtue. Our religion through doctrine suggested that to be in “good standing” that 10% as a tithe be given to charity or to the church. Since high school, I have followed an inflexible stewardship program that only seems to fuel my compassion.

In my 70s now, I still practice this spiritual principle of stewardship I learned as a teenager, which also affords me certain privileges via the IRS. Although our tax laws are in flux for the 2007 tax year, we are still permitted deductions on our annual tax returns for charitable giving. But a hint or two:

“Make sure you collect adequate evidence of your charitable contributions. Under a recent rule change. the IRS no longer considers personal bank registers, diary entries or notes you write to yourself as acceptable documentation, though canceled checks still count.” — Money Advisor, October 2007.

In other words, get a receipt when you give. Or keep your canceled check. «Read the rest of this article»

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