Want to give to a charity and relieve some tax burdens or do you want to give from the goodness of your heart, but don't know which one. Here are some ideas to keep in mind.

1. Pick a cause you are familiar with personally, so you know your money will be spent efficiently.

2. Verify that a charity is legitimate, always request literature from the organization.

3. These organizations were reported by Ann Landers as spending more than their share, averaging more than 60%,of revenue on non-program expenses. According to the National Charities Information Bureau, this exceeds the standards of a quality charity organization.

Questionable Charities

° American Institute for Cancer Research
° Cancer Fund of America
° Pacific West Cancer Fund
° Cancer Center for Detection and Prevention (Pacific West)
° Project Cure
° The Alzheimer's Disease Fund (Project Cure)
° Center for Advanced Heart Research (Project Cure)
° Center for Alternative Cancer Research (Project Cure)
° United Children's Fund [Knoxville]
° A Child's Wish (United Children's Fund)
° Walker Cancer Research Institute
° National Cancer Research Center (Walker Cancer Research)

4. Plan your charitable giving, making all decisions at one time each year.

5. Determine if the organization has filed with the IRS (Publication 78) as tax-exempt.

6. Decide on how much you want to give if you own a business and the employees hand out the money.

7. Watch out for phony charities that telephone and ask you to buy products at inflated prices.

8. Never give any money to door to door solicitors.

9. Never allow anyone to pressure you into giving to a charity.

10. Call or contact the Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been filed against a certain organization.