How Charitable Are You?

How charitable were you in 2009?

The President and his wife reported charitable gifts of $329,100 on their 2009 federal income tax return.  This represents 5.98% of their adjusted gross income.  (I understand that the income and deduction figures exclude the President's donation of his Nobel Prize winnings to charities.) 

The Vice President and his wife reported charitable gifts of $4,820 on their 2009 federal income tax return.  This represents 1.45% of their adjusted gross income.

My numbers?  Our federal income tax return reflected charitable gifts of approximately $16,300, which represents approximately 11.7% of our AGI. 

Two questions:  First, would removing the "tax break" of charitable giving significantly affect your monetary donations?  Second, does political affiliation affect charitable giving in any material respect?

As to the first, I'd say "no" (not "significantly," anyway).  How about you?  

As to the second, I could only venture an uneducated guess.  Perhaps one of our readers could direct our attention to a study that explores the issue.  I'd be interested in the answer.

Comments

[Patrick S. O'Donnell]

Tim,

As you are an avowed Christian, I'm wondering how the above is reconciled with the following from Matthew (6: 1-4):

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before people, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But when you do a charitable deed do not let your left hand know what your right is doing.
(a) that your charitable deed may be in secret; (b) and your Father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly.

[Archana]

On your second question, conservatives tend to give more than liberals - here's a link: http://blog.fortiusone.com/2009/01/07/dataset-of-the-day-who-is-more-generous-republicans-or-democrats/

Perhaps it's because conservatives are more likely to attend religious services regularly, and the largest proportion of individual giving goes to religion? Just one hypothesis...