Every year, many people choose to give to charity anonymously. A recent article discusses several ways through which a person can donate funds without revealing his or her name.
One way to give anonymously is by using an advisor as an intermediary for the gift. An advisor can be any person or entity, such as a firm or a bank. By channeling the funds through the advisor, you can issue your check to the charity, and then have a tax receipt returned to you. If you use this strategy, be sure to ask the charity and advisor to document that an anonymous donor made the gift.
Another option for anonymous giving is to create an entity through which you give to charity. When a person gives money through an entity, their check is signed from the entity, rather than the individual. Possible entity formations include revocable trusts and limited liability companies.
A recent survey reveals that the most common reason why people choose to give to charity is because they would like to avoid being badgered for donations by other charities. This result can, of course, be avoided by giving to charity after death through your estate plan.
