Donating to charity

Donating to charity:
From GovGab: If you have a little extra change in your pockets after you've finished all your holiday shopping, you might want to consider donating it to your favorite charity. Last year, charities made $307.65 billion from contributions, according to the Giving USA Foundation.

But before you write that check, do a little research to make sure the charity is legitimate.

The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance pulled together five important questions you should ask before donating.

1. Is the charity trustworthy?
2. How will your donation be used?
3. Is the donation tax deductible?
4. Is your donation useful to the charity?
5. Are you feeling pressured to donate?

These questions should help you determine if your money is going to a legitimate charity that will put it to good use to fund programs that you believe in.

If you're curious about how to list different donations for tax purposes, check out these tips.