Rules For Charitable Giving

With the recent state of natural disasters devastating communities both in the U.S. and abroad, many people turn to charities to see what they can do to help those affected by these tragic events.

Over the past two decades, charitable giving has grown considerably in the U.S. The number of public charities is up almost 60 percent, from about 643,000 in 2000 to more than 1 million today, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. In 2013, public charities reported over $1.74 trillion in total revenues and $1.63 trillion in total expenses.

More recently, many groups have opted to set up their own charities to help victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, due in part to the skepticism some harbor towards major charities such as the American Red Cross, which was criticized for its response to Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Isaac in 2012.