Month: October 2015

The Trick To Making Valid Charitable Deductions

The trick to getting full credit for you charitable deduction is to get the charity’s acknowledgment for your gift at the same time they receive it. The acknowledgment must be given in a timely manner for the gift to be deductible. So say I.R.S. and the Tax Court.

Keep in mind this requirement has nothing to do with how honest and legitimate the charitable gift is. It really seems like an unfair regulation. On the other hand nobody ever said that taxes were fair.

The basis for the rule is an effort to prevent tax payer fraud. It’s too easy to claim a charitable deduction when none has been made, and then seek out some charity to give an acknowledgement receipt. It becomes more difficult when the “charity” has to prove the date the donation was made as the receipts are numbered in sequence. It tends to keep the tax payers honest.

The Trick To looking Younger Is Bright Colors

The trick to looking younger as we get older is to reevaluate the colors we wear. Wearing boring conservative colors such as white or almost any dark solid color, (black for example) forces the person looking at us to concentrate on our gray hair and facial lines instead of our total image. This is because there is nothing else to hold their attention, such as bright interesting colors.

Keep in mind that somber, conservative dark colored clothes have been traditionally worn by senior citizens. So when they see dark clothes people automatically think “old person”.

This in itself is an excellent reason for changing to bright vivid colors. Youth carries with it the image of bright happy colors. Why not join them and take the accent off being a senior. Step out of your wardrobe comfort zone and try brighter more bold clothing.

Surveys show that casual conversations with people wearing bright colors tend to be more upbeat and pleasant than those wearing darker, somber clothing. It really can make a difference.