Happy New Years.

I hope your year has started off well and everyone had a great holiday season.  Hunting season has ended for deer here in Georgia.  Today I sighted in an old Marlin bolt action 22 mag to go to work on some squirrels that I watched all deer season from the ladder stand.   Of course I will probly only see deer when I go squirrel hunting.  I will also try to call in and remove some of a rather fast growing coyote pack.  Seems they are everywhere now.

 Within the next few months, hard working hunters will be filing their taxes.  Just a reminder for those who donate to charities.  Dont forget your paper work and all your receipts.  Below are some tax tips along with a link to information on the benifits of donating to non profit charities.  The link is to Give.org and has alot of helpful tax info.

  http://www.give.org/tips/tax.asp

General Tips on Deducting Contributions

1. Contributions are deductible for the year in which they are actually paid or delivered. Pledges are not deductible until the year in which they are paid.
2. The value of volunteer time or services to a charitable organization is not deductible. However, out-of-pocket expenses directly related to voluntary service are usually deductible.
3. Contributions for which the donor receives a gift or other kinds of benefits are deductible only to the extent that the donation exceeds the value of any benefit received by the donor. (See “When Goods and Services are Involved…” for details.)
4. Direct contributions to needy individuals are not deductible. Contributions must be made to qualified organizations in order to be tax deductible.
5. Contributions made directly to foreign organizations are not deductible, except in the case of some Canadian organizations as specified in an agreement with that country. Also, donations to charities located in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions are deductible. Such organizations must meet the requirements for exemption under the income tax laws of the United States.
6. The “fair market value” of goods donated to a thrift store is deductible as long as the store is operated by a charity. To determine fair market value, visit a thrift store and check the “going rate” for comparable items. One cannot take a deduction if the goods are sold on a consignment basis whereby the original owner gets a percentage of the final sales price.
7. Donated property may generally be deducted at the fair market value of the property at the time of the contribution. However, there are special rules for the donation of cars and other vehicles. Also, in certain situations, additional details concerning the property’s worth may need to be filed with the IRS in order to make a deduction on your federal income tax forms. Also, gifts of appreciated property are subject to special rules. See a financial advisor for additional details.
8. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance advises donors to seek professional advice or to consult the IRS when in doubt about the deductibility of contributions. The following IRS pamphlets, available at the IRS website (www.irs.gov), also provide useful information:
   • Pub. 448: “Federal Estate and Gift Taxes”
   • Pub. 526: “Charitable Deductions”
   • Pub. 529: “Miscellaneous Deductions” (e.g., political contributions, labor union dues as an employee expense)
   • Pub. 535: “Business Expenses and Operating Losses”
   • Pub. 557: “Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization”
   • Pub. 561: “Determining the Value of Donated Property”
   • Pub. 585: “Voluntary Tax Methods to Help Finance Political Campaigns”