This holiday season the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) suggests a list of questions that Canadians might want to ask before making a charitable donation.

1. What is the full name of your charity?

Make sure you know who you are being asked to support. Sometimes, fake organizations use names similar to well-known charities.

 

2. Is this a ‘registered’ charity and will I get a receipt for income tax purposes for my donation?

 

If a tax deduction is important to you, be sure to get an official donation receipt. Only registered charities and other qualified donees can issue an official tax receipt, though they are not required to do so for every donation. Some registered charities set minimum donation thresholds for receipting, while others may not issue receipts for certain gifts or not at all. So it’s always important to ask.

 

3. How will the charity use my donation?

 

Find out the activities of the charity. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the activities the charity carries out. Where does it carry out its activities? How many people benefit from these activities? How long has the charity been involved in these activities?

 

Learn more about donating wisely online at www.cra.gc.ca/donors or toll-free at 1-800-267-2384.You can also see Giving to Registered Charities 101 videocasts on the CRA’s YouTube channel.