To Give or Not To Give? Top 10 Tips To Keep You Safe When Contributing To A Charity

When considering making your year end contributions, keep these tips in mind for your protection.

All too frequently, many retired persons are victims of charitable fraud through an ever-increasing number of misleading techniques that are aimed at capturing vital personal information and causing financial damage.

Please take a moment to review the following top 10 tips provided by the Charity Navigator as the end of the calendar year quickly approaches. These easy-to-follow precautions can help ensure that you contribute only to legitimate and efficient charities.

On solicitations…
1.) Don’t give in to pressure tactics. Remember, reputable organizations don’t have to resort to harassment and pressure tactics. Their good work and financial health should speak for itself.

2.) Verify claims that say you’ve contributed in the past. If a caller or an appeal letter indicates that you’ve given in the past, be sure to check it out for yourself.

Contemplating Retirement? Look for a “Sense of Community”

Active adults looking for the perfect residence should heed the words of Arizona real estate agent, Warren Neal, when he was quoted recently in a New York Times Great Homes and Destinations article, saying “to buy where they [buyers] found ‘a sense of community’ and could make friends.”

Indeed, according to the article, “the most important factor for a successful transition [into retirement, but certainly also applicable to a move to an active adult community] is becoming connected to the local community.”