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48 | | Fall 2017 Jean Chatzky is the Director of Education and Editor in Chief of Savvy Money. She is a personal fi nance expert and best-selling author. To get your own fi nancial checkup with Savvy Money today, visit SavvyMoney.com/aacu. W e're on our way into fall and the holidays — the giving season. If you're inclined to open your wallet, here are a few things to consider when choosing which organization to give to. Making a diff erence You've looked into the charity enough to know you're interested in giving to its cause, but now it's time to consider the facts. Is the group making progress on its stated mission? What challenges does it face? Call the organization or check its website for real data. There's a big dif- ference, for example, between a career program that says it "successfully re-trains its clients and one that says "clients are 80 percent more likely to retain their next job for six months or more." Securing information Very few people like unsolicited emails and letters. Some charities respect that. Others, however, sell donors' names to other organiza- tions, who then entreat the donor to give to them as well, says Sandra Miniutti, vice president of marketing for Charity Navigator. Protect your privacy by asking your chosen charity — before giving — about its donor privacy policy. Four things to consider when choosing a charity SPOTLIGHT Donating for a reason It's a good idea to do your research before making a donation decision. Beware of any pressure to make an on-the-spot gift decision, vague explanations about what the organiza- tion is doing and false claims that people in your local community will be helped in some way. If the cause does pique your interest, take down the name of the group and check them out through a third-party, charity-monitoring website. Watching out for social Soliciting impulse gifts is also common in stores and on social media. Before you donate to a fund- raiser advertised on a neighborhood convenience store counter, ask for further information. As for crowdfunding online and on social media, keep in mind that direct contributions to individuals usually aren't tax-deductible, and there's often not an intensive vetting process. You don't want to be a Scrooge, but you do want to be careful. By Jean Chatzky