Philanthropist

“For those to whom much is given, much is required.”

That’s John F. Kennedy paraphrasing the gospel according to Luke.

The wealthier you are, the less of your daily 24-hour allotment you need to spend earning money.  Instead, with less pressure on you to produce via your labors, you can put your time to other uses.

Being a philanthropist doesn’t necessarily mean creating a charitable foundation or acting self-righteously. It can simply mean supporting programs and people you value.  Whether you give your time, scratch a check, or do both, you’ll find that being a mentor is even more rewarding than having one. Share your knowledge, and you’ll receive a payback on your investment beyond your wildest expectations.


Tsunami Relief Part Three

The IRS just announced an unprecedented opportunity. If you donate to the Tsunami relief effort by the end of January you will be able to deduct the contribution on your 2004 return.

To receive the deduction you must itemize deductions on your return, the charity must be an accredited charitable organization, and you must make the donation in cash prior to January 31st.

This is a great opportunity to help the victims of this disaster while retroactively lowering your tax liability for 2004.

Here again are some organizations providing relief:

NAR Tsunami Relief

Save the Children

Doctor’s without Borders

American Red Cross

A complete list can be found here.

This site lets you research a charity and rates their effectiveness based on many different criteria.

Tsunami Relief

**UPDATE**

The National Association of REALTORS has set-up a relief fund for the victims of the Tsunami in Asia. To make a tax deductible contribution go here.

 

The loss of life and property in Asia keeps mounting. My prayers go out to everyone who lost a loved one or who lost their home or business. The relief workers are beginning to move into the area and donations are pouring in from around the world.

For up to the minute information on the relief effort go here.

If you wish to donate here are a few sites:

Care2.com

American Red Cross

And to check out how organizations spend their money, go here.