After tragedies like the terror attacks in Belgium, we see the best and the worst in society.
Those posing as charitable organizations prey on the generosity of others. You need to ask tough questions before you give.
Texas Christian University has a department that studies charitable giving, where students learn how to give and how to maximize their charitable donations. Professor Ron Pitcock has made the study of charitable giving his life's work and believes there is one specific question you should ask before you give.
"The question any donor should ask a non-profit is how much of the money spent goes to the actual cause, because that gives the donor a sense of overhead.," he said. "That gives them a sense of how much money they're spending on a third party to raise funds and it also gives a sense of economic health."
He says a general rule is at least 75 percent of every dollar spent should go toward the charitable cause.
You can follow a charity's money at sites like Guidestar, Charity Watch and Charity Navigator, where you can check a charity's 990 form — the form tax exempt organizations have to file with the IRS. It gives a good indication of where the money is actually going.
It's also a good idea to check the Better Business Bureau for complaints against the charity.
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• Guidestar - www.guidestar.org
• Charity Watch - www.charitywatch.org
• Charity Navigator - www.charitynavigator.org
