"The greatest thing you can learn is the lesson of brotherly love, of usefulness, and charity." ~ Booker T. Washington

• Why Give
• What to Give
• Ways to Give
• How Much to Give

HOW MUCH TO GIVE

Determining how much to give to charity is a personal choice. The only legal requirements for giving levels relate to private foundations, which are required by federal law to pay out annual grants totaling a minimum of 5 percent of their assets.

• Individual Giving Levels
• Corporate Giving Levels

INDIVIDUAL GIVING LEVELS

The appropriate charitable giving amount will be different for every person. Deciding how much to give to charity can be influenced by many factors beside your financial picture, including your family situation, retirement goals, and personal values and passions. A professional advisor can help you determine your appropriate charitable giving level. In addition, here are a few resources that may help you get started:

• NewTithCalc Personal Giving Calculator - access.mpr.org/civic_j/giving/
• To receive a customized profile exploring giving levels that may be appropriate for you, try the "NewTitheCalc" personal giving calculator, developed by the Newtithing Group. NewTitheCalc can show how a change in your finances may affect your ability to give, as well as how a desired giving level may affect your current finances.

CORPORATE GIVING LEVELS

A company's decision on how much to give to charity can be influenced by its annual profit levels, long-term strategic giving goals, business priorities, and a host of other factors. Some companies target a specific percentage of their pre-tax profits to donate to charity each year, others do not. Some companies try to give the same percentage of their pre-tax profits to charity each year, while others vary the percentage year by year.