142
5
10
15
20
S
upplemental Reading
0
5
0
T
here are lots of people in the United States who give donations to
charities just because they believe strongly in what the charity is doing.
However, what some of these people don’t realize is that all of the
donations they make to these charities can help them save money on their taxes
each year, too! The average American pays about 33 percent of her or his yearly
income in taxes, so any way to save money on the taxes a person has to pay each
year is a welcomed benefit. And these donations to charities are not limited to
cash only. If a person donates an old stereo or clothes, the estimated value of
these items can help lower a person’s taxes as long as they get a receipt from the
charity.
Other than the usual small items that people usually
give to charities, big things can help charities make
money, too. For example, if you have a really old car that
you want to get rid of, a car dealer might only offer you a
few hundred dollars for it. A charity might be able to
match what the car dealer would give you, and then the
charity can fix up the car and sell it at an auction. The
charity gets needed funds from selling the car, and you
get a break on your taxes for the value of the car when
the charity took it! Other things that people don’t often think of as possible
donations to charities include computers, stocks, and even land.
