At the peak of the holiday season, many Americans find themselves overcome by a spirit of generosity and goodwill. Many people go beyond finding the perfect gift for friends and family and give their time or money to a charitable organization, seeking to make the holidays a little better for those worse off than themselves. But with thousands upon thousands of charities to choose from, how we do ensure our dollars are truly going to the best possible cause? It may seem obvious, but it’s best not to hand your credit card info to an anonymous organization soliciting your aid. The IRS has little regulatory power over most charitable organizations since they don’t typically pay taxes. As a result, it’s all too easy to be defrauded. “Never give a gift where you didn’t initiate the communication,” advises Tim Meisenheimer, a certified financial planner. Calls can be a red flag, as charities who employ telemarketers are much less likely to receive the entirety of your donation. If you’re donating online, he also advises you to check that there’s a “https” at the beginning of the URL, which indicates a secure connection. But the best way to avoid shady scammers is to research the charity before you hand over your cash. One helpful resource is CharityNavigator.org, a charity-screening website where you can scrutinize a charity’s rating, spending habits, category, and much more. When examining a charity, they look for all kinds of red flags, such as if they spend more than one-third of their budget on administrative costs or if they aren’t forthcoming about their operations Should I Donate To? WHICH CHARITY
and expenditures. If you’re unsure of where to donate, check out their list of “Charities With Perfect Scores.” My favorite charity is Easter Seals United Cerebral Palsy of NC & VA, Inc. It is based here in NC and provides medical and housing services to children and adults who are developmentally disabled. These folks have cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Downs syndrome, autism, and similar conditions. Easter Seals provides therapy and various types of living arrangements. My own son, Robbie, lives in an Easter Seals home, and he has benefited greatly during his life from the services Easter Seals provides. My wife and I make frequent donations to the organization. I was once the Chairman of the statewide Board of Directors for what is now the Easter Seals agency in NC, and I personally know that it is an excellent steward of donated money. If you would like to donate to Easter Seals, you can send your tax-deductible check to them at 5171 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 211, Raleigh, NC 27612 When you refer us, we want you to be the “hero” in the story. We want the person you referred to come back to you months later and say, “I am so glad you referred me to the Bollinger Law Firm! They were so nice to me, and they took great care of me and my case. They got me a better outcome than I imagined possible! Thank you so much for telling me to call the Bollinger Law Firm!” I worked in blue-collar jobs as a young man, before I graduated from college. These jobs included tailing a ripsaw in a furniture factory and cutting carpet cushion in a foam-rubber factory. It makes me furious to see honest, hardworking people being mistreated after getting hurt at work. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping working people get a fair outcome on their workers’ comp claims. Your Referrals Are Very Important to Us
Here is a recent client review of Bob’s services.
Excellent attorney!
“Mr. Bollinger is the most competent attorney you can get for your workers’ comp case. I fired my original, big-firm attorney after being treated like a case number, not a person. And I’m so happy that I did! Bob is super friendly and down-to-earth outside of the courtroom, but will fight for you against the insurance companies with all of his knowledge about the law. Bob will treat you with respect, and he cares! He will answer your questions and be in touch with you day or night! I would absolutely recommend him to help. He is knowledgeable, ethical, sharp as a tack, and has a great sense of humor, too. He is easy to talk to, and most of all, he will fight for you. I have not settled my case yet, but I trust Bob and highly recommend him! You can’t hire anyone better, and his staff is super helpful, too. Thank you to Bob, Janice, and Nick for all of your expert advice so far!”
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–Jeff
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