Dec. 30, 2017 — Charitable contributions postmarked by year-end (or credit-card-charged online) are tax deductible. Next year probably not. So I have tripled my (modest) usual year-end contributions.
I did it mostly by adding GiveWell, a smart outfit I originally found out about from reading Nick Kristof’s NYT column. They evaluate select charities carefully. They currently assign top priority to two: Against Malaria Foundation and Schistosomiasis Control Initiative. Givewell seems very clear-thinking, evidence-based, and analytical about how to do the most good for a given amount of money. Appealing to an economist.
Am I the only one who thinks it makes sense to give more in years when the contribution is tax-deductible than in years when it is not? Obviously saving on taxes is not the primary motivation. But why not get the biggest bang for the buck?
(Having said that… if you missed the year-end deadline for contributions or you don’t itemize deductions in the first place, check them out anyway!)