# [Donate Now](https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0U6S00000c3ogMUAQ) to Disaster Relief and Crisis Fund
## 
## This week, Hurricane Ian swept through South and Central Florida, leaving a staggering amount of damage in its wake. At the time of this story’s publishing, the death toll has reached 42, more than 2 million people are without power, and thousands are facing at least temporary homelessness and a lengthy period of rebuilding.

We know givers at NCF want to find the best ways to use their [Giving Funds](https://www.ncfgiving.com/givingfund) to mobilize resources for victims of this unexpected crisis. Here are five ways you can help:

1. __Give now__ – Our offices in Orlando, Tampa, and South Florida are working together to find the best charities and churches on the ground supporting hurricane victims. They have established a special fund and will be making grants to nonprofits in their areas. You can make a fund-to-fund transfer by logging into your Giving Fund and going to the [transfer page](https://mygiving.secure.force.com/transfer) from the top  navigation. Be sure to include the fund name and number: __Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief and Crisis Fund, #294210__. [If you don’t have have a Giving Fund](https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0U6S00000c3ogMUAQ), you can [open one](https://www.ncfgiving.com/open) in minutes or [make a one-time donation here](https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0U6S00000c3ogMUAQ).
2. __Give later__ – It’s important to remember that the need for support doesn’t end when media coverage dies down. Insurance experts are predicting the [rebuilding costs for Florida will be in the 10s of billions](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/30/hurricane-ian-florida-insurance-00059598). If you want to help Florida long-term, you can set up a [recurring grant schedule](https://mygiving.secure.force.com/grant) to a charity focused on rebuilding over the coming months and years. As we learn more information, we will share which charities have long-term plans to restore homes and livelihoods in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
3. __Give non-cash assets__ – If you really want to step up your support, consider giving [non-cash assets](https://www.ncfgiving.com/solutions/non-cash/) such as appreciated securities, business interests, and real estate. These types of assets often provide tax-efficient benefits and may help you multiply your impact for the churches, Christian nonprofits, and other charities you feel called to support.
4. __Grant with confidence__ – When disasters strike, NCF can help you avoid the scams and fraud that are rampant. When you request a grant from your fund, we review the charity to ensure it’s IRS-approved and ready to receive support, so you can be confident you’re funding a legitimate organization.
5. __Pray__ – In the wake of a disaster, trauma often follows the crisis. As victims of Hurricane Ian face great losses, pray that they get the help they need. Pray that their hearts will be encouraged and that God, who works all things for the good of those who love him, will use this time to bring people to faith and draw his people nearer to himself.

## __If you don’t have a Giving Fund at NCF yet, [learn more](https://www.ncfgiving.com/solutions/giving-fund/) or [open one](https://www.ncfgiving.com/open/) today.__

*[Image](https://www.ncfgiving.com/stories/5-ways-to-help-victims-of-hurricane-ian/) used with permission*

NCF helps people create a giving strategy based on biblical principles, so they can be wise stewards of all they have and experience the joy of greater generosity.

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You can give now to help those in need, plus five additional ways you can help victims of Hurricane Ian.

5 ways to help victims of Hurricane Ian

Matt Bell

__In 1917, members of Congress worried that a tax increase imposed to fund America’s involvement in World War I might prompt people to cut back on charitable donations. So, along with the increase, Congress created a tax deduction for giving. More than 100 years later, it’s still with us.__

Although the doubling of the standard deduction in 2018 has reduced the number of taxpayers who itemize their deductions, a healthy number still do. If you’re among them, this article is for you. It’s easy, of course, to value the contributions you make by cash, check, or credit card. But what about non-cash donations? How much is that Reagan-era suit worth? Or that treadmill gathering dust in the basement? Quite possibly, more than you realize.

__Thrift store guidance__

On their websites, both the [Salvation Army](https://satruck.org/Home/DonationValueGuide) and [Goodwill](https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/donation_valuation_guide.pdf)  provid e guides for donated items. Unfortunately, the sites contain a very limited number of items. As for value, the Salvation Army lists a range of prices, advising people to simply “choose a value within this range that reflects your item’s relative age and quality.” Goodwill, in contrast, assigns a specific valuation per item, noting that it assumes all donated items are in good condition.

For example, while the Salvation Army says a woman’s dress is worth anywhere from $4 to $20, Goodwill puts the value at $7. A computer system? The Salvation Army offers a range of $104 to $417—without any more specific guidance. (Is one brand worth more than another? What about memory, processor speed, or screen size?) As for Goodwill, it suggests valuing any desktop computer at $150.

__There’s an app for that__

Fortunately, thrift-store websites are not your only option. Some tax preparation software packages, including TurboTax and H&R Block, include detailed tools for valuing non-cash donations. The TurboTax tool, [ItsDeductible](https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/itsdeductible/), is particul arly helpful—and you don’t need to be a TurboTax user to gain access to it from your computer, tablet, or smartphone (iOS devices only). You will need to set up an account, but there is no cost.

Valuations for the more than 10,000 items in the ItsDeductible database are determined by analyzing eBay transactions. To determine the value of an item you’re giving away, you first enter the name of the charity and the date of the donation. Then you choose from 22 major categories, each of which splits into numerous sub-categories.

To return to our earlier example, if you’re donating a woman’s dress, you start with the “Clothing, Footwear & Accessories” category, choose “Women’s Clothing,” and then choose among six more specific options. After selecting the one that best describes your item, you make a judgment call as to whether it’s of “medium value” or “high value.”

If you’re donating a computer, ItsDeductible gives you a choice between PC or Apple, and laptop or desktop. It even asks you to note the computer’s processor speed, and again, whether it’s of medium or high value.

Another helpful feature of ItsDeductible is that it can keep a running tally of your donations made throughout the year, as well as projected tax savings based on your tax bracket. You can view and print summaries of your donations or import the data directly into TurboTax Deluxe.


![](https://dcktxkaneetr8.cloudfront.net/2021/07/l1-donation-apps.png)


__Which approach is best?__

In an SMI comparison of a handful of items, Goodwill tended to have the lowest valuations while the Salvation Army had the highest. ItsDeductible provided valuations for the most items and in the most detail. Depending on how many non-cash contributions you make and how much time you’re willing to put into this, you may want to compare prices between the Salvation Army guide and ItsDeductible. You could also double-check eBay for the prices of items similar to what you’re donating. Let’s say you’re giving away a Monopoly board game. The Salvation Army puts the value of a board game at just $1 to $3 while ItsDeductible puts it at $5 to $6, but you’ll find much higher prices on eBay. Just be sure to take a screenshot so you have a record that supports the value you used.

No matter which approach you take, the ultimate valuation standard you’re up against is the IRS definition of fair-market value: “The price that would be agreed on between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither being required to act, and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts” (see [IRS Publication 561](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p561)).

That’s a somewhat subjective standard, so using a valuation guide can help legitimize how you valued your donated items should the IRS ever challenge your deductions. Also, always get a receipt from the charity, and it’s a good idea to take photos of donated items as well.

If the value of all your non-cash donations for the year comes to $500 or less, you can enter that amount on Schedule A. If the total is over $500, you have to file [Form 8283](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8283). If any  one item is valued at more than $5,000, you’ll need a formal appraisal (unless it was a publicly traded security). There are special rules that apply to donated vehicles, which you can read about in [IRS Publication 4303](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4303.pdf).

__Chances are good that the items you donate are worth more than you think, and with several easy-to-use valuation tools freely available, there’s no reason not to claim the full, fair value on your tax return.__

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Before 2022 comes to an end, keep these important points in mind on the potential worth of non-cash donations.

Non-Cash Donations: Worth More in Tax Savings Than You Might Think!

Leo Sabo

Growing up, I recall the Christmas season being about giving. Everyone focused on buying something for their loved ones. Somewhere along the way, the notion that we should also treat ourselves to something special got thrown into the mix. Companies and retailers started using language like, "while you're buying that perfect gift for your loved ones, why not treat yourself to that thing you've always wanted?" And so the season of giving became not just about giving to others, but also giving to ourselves.

It's easy to get caught up in the frenzy that is present during holiday shopping. __This is mainly due to the increased emotional triggers we experience during this season.__ Emotions are good, but unfortunately, they are fickle, change frequently, and can lead us astray. Making financial decisions based on emotional impulses alone is like trying to catch the wind. You never quite nail it down, and continuing this impulse buying will result in experiencing regret, fear, hopelessness, and shame.

Spending on impulse is similar to any addiction because it provides that dopamine hit that feels so good as we experience the emotional satisfaction of getting what we want. Of course, this feeling doesn't last because it cannot satisfy us to the level that we need, so we try again, and again, and again. With every purchase, we're seeking that deep satisfaction we long for that possessions can't satisfy.

Early in our marriage, my wife, Natalie, and I engaged in a lot of impulse buying. Neither of us was taught to manage money, so we did what felt right to us. After paying our bills, which both of our parents taught us to do, we spent everything we had leftover on whatever felt good at that time. Four years into our marriage, we found ourselves with 13 credit cards, one car payment, and a new mortgage. I then got laid off, and so began one of the most difficult times in our life.

As a man and the sole provider for our growing family, I felt like a failure. I felt regret for spending money so foolishly, shame for failing to protect my family from this situation, hopelessness because I didn't see a way out, and I experienced constant worry and fear about the future. The question I kept asking myself was, "How did I not see the foolishness in our behavior to spend as we did?"

We are indeed emotional beings, but we're also logical beings, able to think and reason between right and wrong, good and bad. Most people aren't taught to manage money. __And we're especially not taught of the dangers our emotions and feelings can have on our financial decisions__. Adding basic financial education can help overcome our impulsive nature to a degree. It can also improve our spending decisions. Still, it takes more than that to break the impulse to spend and become financially wise.

__THE TURNING POINT FOR NATALIE AND ME WAS LEARNING GOD'S WORD ON MONEY AND POSSESSIONS__.

Before our financial crisis, we had no idea how much God said about money, especially our emotions around money. __Financial education is good because it provides you with the principles and knowledge to calculate the impact of your financial decisions.__ However, this knowledge doesn't diminish the feelings and desires, which cause us to go beyond what's financially safe and wise. This is why we need God's word.

God's word is not just knowledge; it's truth. __Truth goes beyond knowledge.__ It touches the deepest part of who we are by shining its light and revealing the real motives behind our actions. Like a mirror, truth makes us see everything, and if we're willing, it develops convictions and standards in us that line up with God's truth.

The late Larry Burkett shared an example to illustrate the power of conviction. He said that if he could talk a person out of buying a new car because the payment would be too much for him, a salesperson out there could much more easily talk that same person into buying that new car. Why? Because the salesperson has the new car as a prop to motivate him to buy. The desire for the new car, which he can have right now, is greater than the financial pain of a new car payment, which he hasn't experienced yet.

"However," Larry said, "If I can teach the man God's perspective on debt. And if he understood the truth, that the debtor becomes the lender's slave (Proverbs 22:6) and he accepted that truth, it would form a conviction in him regarding debt, that no person on earth would ever convince him to violate." God's word speaks to both our minds (reasoning) and our emotions (feelings) to shape our beliefs and develop convictions and living standards that line up with His kingdom principles.

__We cannot forget that our enemy is real. He intends to steal, kill, and destroy us, but Jesus came to give us life more abundant.__ (John 10:10) We will never experience that life through material possessions alone. The enemy's major weapon today is materialism, and he entices us to look to material possessions to provide happiness and meaning to our lives.

Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that *"the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure."* We cannot tame or control our emotions unless God's word is in us. It is *"living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."* (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

__By God's word, we can overcome the emotional impulse to indulge and instead truly make this season about others; loving, giving, serving, and helping those in need.__ Now that will make you genuinely joyous!

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Spending on impulse is similar to any addiction because it provides that dopamine hit that feels so good...

Overcoming the Emotional Impulse to Spend

Supreme Court Justice John Marshall once said, “The power to tax … is the power to destroy.” In the early 1800s, Marshall was actually defending the federal government against taxation by the states. But what defense do you have against taxation by the federal government? 
<ul><li>History has shown us that given the opportunity, government will almost always raise taxes. As the national debt continues to rise, there’s ever more reason for lawmakers to want more of your money.</li><li>Even with the recent downturn of the stock market, Americans still hold trillions in 401k accounts, and you can be sure that many federal and even state lawmakers would like to get a bigger piece of the 401k pie.</li><li>Now, we’re not talking about the federal government confiscating your retirement savings. That would be political suicide. It’s much easier for politicians to simply raise income taxes. So when the day comes that you withdraw funds from your 401k, you pay more in income tax.</li><li>SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT 401Ks</li><li>You have to understand something about the 401k, and for that matter, the traditional IRA, as well. One of the huge tax benefits of those plans is also a weakness. </li><li>Money goes in tax-deferred, meaning grow now, pay later. Contributing to these plans has always made sense because most of us assume that our income will be lower in retirement when withdrawals are taxed as regular income.</li><li>The weakness is that the government can always increase taxes on 401ks and traditional IRAss in the future. And there’s plenty of reason to do it.</li><li>It’s one more thing you can blame on the coronavirus pandemic. Business shutdowns and high unemployment caused a huge drop in government revenue. Add in the cost of relief programs, and you have federal and state governments looking for ways to overcome budget shortfalls, even more than usual.</li><li>So no doubt, some lawmakers are looking at the trillions held in these accounts as the solution, and that’s why we might expect tax hikes down the road.</li><li>So what’s your defense against that possible outcome? Well, first of all, you don’t want to stop contributing. Qualified retirement plans have a range of benefits that you should take advantage of.</li><li>But you should heed the warning in Ecclesiastes 11:2, “Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.”</li><li>That biblical principle tells you to diversify your retirement holdings. The same way you spread out your holdings in stocks versus bonds — or by holding equities in different sectors of the economy — you can also diversify between taxable and non-taxable income streams in retirement.</li><li>If you have a 401k, the easiest way to do that is by putting some of your money in a designated Roth account if your plan has that feature. This is a Roth account within your 401k where you would contribute “after tax” money. Later in retirement, withdrawals of those contributions and earnings will be tax-free. So you’re setting up a tax-free income stream in retirement.</li><li>Of course, there are limits to what you can contribute to a Roth 401k, those deposits count against the total allowed for 401k contributions. In 2022, the limit is $20,500, or $27,000 if you're age 50 or older.</li><li>If your 401k plan doesn’t offer a Roth option, you would still want to contribute enough to get the maximum employer contribution if there is one. After that, if you still have discretionary income to invest, you could open a Roth account outside of your 401k, which, of course, you should do if your employer doesn’t offer a 401k at all.</li><li>Okay, by now you might be thinking, “If government can raise taxes on withdrawals from 401ks and traditional IRAs, it can also start taxing Roth withdrawals.”</li><li>It could, but politically, it wouldn’t be nearly as easy to start taxing Roth accounts as it would be to simply raise taxes on the other plans. Roth accounts were specifically created to have tax-free withdrawals. It’s the whole reason for their existence, and remember, Roth contributions are already taxed going in. It would be far more difficult for lawmakers to suddenly “do a 180” and effectively “double tax” Roth accounts.</li><li>Now, there’s one more possible hedge against future tax hikes, and it’s actually using a taxable brokerage account. It would allow you to get around the contribution limits of qualified retirement plans, although you would incur taxes year to year.</li><li>So it’s not a great option, but if you’re able to max out your contributions to a 401k and Roth and still have money to invest, a regular brokerage account is probably the way to go.</li></ul>On this program, Rob also answers listener questions: 
<ul><li>Is it unbiblical for a married couple to have separate checking accounts? </li><li>Can you allocate VA money to a spouse with the veteran in question is in long-term care? </li><li>Is there a good way to build a budget on a smartphone app? </li></ul>RESOURCES MENTIONED: 
<ul><li><a href="https://app.moneywise.org/">MoneyWise App</a> </li></ul>Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to <a href="mailto:questions@moneywise.org">Questions@MoneyWise.org</a>. Also, visit our website at <a href="http://moneywise.org/">MoneyWise.org</a> where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app.

Biblical Wisdom For Your Financial Journey

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MoneyWise is a daily radio ministry of MoneyWise Media. Hosted by Rob West and Steve Moore, the program offers a practical, biblical and good-natured approach to managing your time, talents and resources.

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Supreme Court Justice John Marshall once said “The power to tax is the power to destroy.” ﻿ In the early 1800s, Marshall was defending the federal government against taxation by states but what defense have you against taxation by the federal government?

Hedging Against Tax Hikes

In 2020, Randy Alcorn gave a message at the annual Kingdom Advisor's Conference.
In this clip, he talks about what it means to be fearless and not worry about money, but trust that God will provide.

Eternal Perspective Ministries, founded and directed by author Randy Alcorn, is focused on investing in what lasts for eternity, and helping others to do the same.

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Non-Cash Donations: Worth More in Tax Savings Than You Might Think!

Overcoming the Emotional Impulse to Spend

If We Are Fearing God, We Have Nothing to Fear

Hedging Against Tax Hikes

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Join a community of believers striving to be good and faithful stewards of the resources entrusted to them.

Integrate your faith with your finances

Learn

Manage

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Grow in wisdom & knowledge

Non-Cash Donations: Worth More in Tax Savings Than You Might Think!

Overcoming the Emotional Impulse to Spend

If We Are Fearing God, We Have Nothing to Fear

Hedging Against Tax Hikes

MONEYWISE APP

Steward your finances wisely

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