How To Tell If A Charity Is Legitimate

Many of us like to give to charity and we may do so for a wide variety of reasons. It not only benefits those who are in need, there also benefits to those who choose to give. If you are considering giving to a charity, you may be wondering how to choose one that is legitimate. This will help to ensure that your money goes to the right place and that you are doing the most good that is possible. Here are a few steps that can be taken to ensure that you are using the proper charity.

 The IRS provides a list of approved charities and you can do a search on the IRS website to make that determination. It is important to note, although legitimate charities are listed on that website because they are IRS approved, that doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. If you truly want your charitable contribution to do the most good, you need to dig a little bit deeper. The approved list with the IRS, however, is a great place for you to start.

 There are also various websites where you can find the ranking of certain charities. These often list millions of charities and they may rank them according to accountability, transparency and efficiency. Most of these make use of the IRS list of approved charities but they put their own spin on it. It is important to note, those websites do make use of user feedback, so you need to take what is stated with a grain of salt. It is a good way for you to verify the legitimacy of a charity but you will still need to do your own research to determine what they offer to those who give.

 Have you checked with the Better Business Bureau website? There is a division of the BBB known as the Wise Giving Alliance. This will also help you to get additional information about charities, as well as being alerted to any potential scams that may exist. As is the case with the websites that were discussed above, there is also user feedback that is involved. You need to do your own research to determine if that feedback is legitimate.

 Finally, you can check with the Attorney General's office in your state. This is not necessarily going to help you to determine if a charity is legitimate but it is going to help you to determine if it is fraudulent. There are many groups that claim to be nonprofit organizations but they are not necessarily not-for-profit. Contacting the state Attorney General's office is a great way for you to weed out those possibilities.

 Aside from determining the legitimacy of a charity, you should also look into the benefits that it provides. Some charities are going to only take monetary contributions while others may allow you to donate physical items, such as cars or appliances. There may also be various organizations that benefit as a result of your charitable giving. By looking into these things in advance, you can feel comfortable with what you are doing.

Maggie Caballero is a teacher with a passion for charity, especially helping with boat donations with Angel For Hope. She is proud to have helped many people donate boats to charity and always looks to help those in need.