#don'ts

WOWA WOWA WOWA hold the fuck up here!!! this is just waaaaay out of bounds here in the community!!!! ok #1: NEVER just go straight up to someone and put ur fucking hand on someone’s chest to feel their heartbeat WITHOUT CONSENT!!!! (refer to time stamp 14:25 by blocked out user, i blocked out the user for their own privacy from the heartbeat pleasure site)

there’s fucking laws ya know! OMFG!!!!!! jesus fucking christ dude!!!! i was fucking appalled when i saw this in the chat bar on HBP community. this is just RUDE, PUSHY, UNEXCEPTABLE move!!!! u can however ASK FOR PERMISSION to feel someone’s chest in order to feel their heartbeat or have the person to use their hand to grab your own hand to guild your hand to their chest to feel their heartbeat with pressure. that there IS ACCEPTABLE in nature. 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 almost doubled the standard deduction and has changed the way most people approach their tax strategies. In spite of the fact that the law reduced tax savings for each charitable dollar, charitable giving has in fact increased, especially through donor-advised funds (DAFs) and the application of wise retirement investment planning.

As 2020 gets underway and tax season draws nears, here are three things to avoid as you plan your giving for the new year:

1. Do not shy away from charitable giving during an election year.

Major election years can leave many nonprofits nervous about the potential for declining contributions. However, smart high-dollar donors who give via their private foundations or donor-advised funds differentiate between supporting charity and engaging politically. Driven donors are knowledgeable about all the available tax-efficient charitable giving tools. Even though the amount of money spent during the 2020 election cycle will undoubtedly be staggering, both private foundations and donor-advised funds will continue to grow. These tools are available to all donors regardless of the number of zeros in their paycheck, though there is a reason that wealthy givers are staying ahead of the curve when it comes to maximizing their tax deductions!

Even better, these avenues are available to any donor, not just the wealthy. Some qualified DAFs, for example, can now be opened for as little as $5,000, allowing donors to wait until they are ready to decide how to distribute their tax-advantaged investment in future years.

Remember, politicians will come and go, but philanthropy has a much longer shelf-life.

2. Do not fear ‘new age’ alternative ways of giving.

Gen Z and Millennial digital natives are increasingly engaging in online giving, this includes both straightforward transactions and social community giving. Moving forward, more and more people of all ages are expected to take up this trend because of its immediacy and convenience. This is especially attractive to those who prefer a more direct and personal approach to giving without concern about maximizing charitable tax deductions. Technology is making the act of giving easier than ever.

It is important to keep in mind that it is charities that absorb credit card and other transaction fees. It can be nice to add a little extra so that they cover their costs.

3. Don’t ignore a IRA tax advantage in the new law.

Some senior taxpayers can sidestep the limitations of the TCJA. An individual retirement account (IRA) charitable rollover allows people 70.5 years of age and older to make direct transfers from their IRAs up to $100,000 per year to qualified charities, without having to count the transfers as income for federal income tax purposes.

Taxpayers may also bunch gifts. For example, a couple with $10,000 of both state and local taxes would have to take the standard deduction if their only other itemizable expenses were contributions of $10,000 a year for each of five years. However, the same couple may give away $50,000 in one year and nothing in the other four — thus they gain the advantages of both the increased standard deduction in the four years that they do not itemize and a deduction for most of their charitable contributions in the one year that they do. This also ensures a consistent revenue stream for charities over subsequent years.

Book clubs are awesome ways to share your love of reading with others and make new friends. However, having been in 2 book clubs at once, I do think there’s a certain way to facilitate successful meetings.

So here are some Dos and Don’ts:

Do:

Bring Your Book--It never hurts to bring the source material in case you need to turn to a specific page or look something up. If you have a quote you want to discuss, it may help to have your place marked.

Bring Something Besides Your Book--This does depend on the location, but I always think that if someone’s hosting the book club at their house, that you should bring something aside from your book. (Like wine, cookies, chips, water, etc.) It’s just polite.

Keep the Book Club Open--Let everyone speak and keep an open mind. Not everyone’s going to agree, but it always helps to keep it civil and let everyone get their thoughts out.

Limit Attendance--At a certain point with book clubs, there’s just too many people. I think the ideal group is anywhere from 10-15 people who have attended. 20-30 people limits discussions and who can speak.

Have Discussion Points--Whether you’re leading the meeting or not, it’s always good to bring your discussion points and questions. If you read the book, you should know what you liked and didn’t like (at the very least).

Introduce Everyone--If members don’t know each other already, it might help to start off meetings with simple introductions. At least then, everyone’s a little familiar and comfortable.

Participate--If you show up, you should participate. 

Plan the Next Book--I’m a big fan of planning the next book when you’re there or selecting the next person to choose the book. You should always have a way to move forward.

Don’t:

Show Up Empty-Handed--If it’s at someone’s house, you should definitely bring something. At the very least, bring the book and discussion points with you and hey, a good attitude never hurts either!

Forget to Read the Book--If you forget to read the material, you may not want to attend at all. What will you have to speak about and what will you add to the group? It may help to skip the meeting entirely...at least then it wouldn’t be awkward.

Show Up Very Late--It’s almost like forgetting the book. If you’re going to be an hour late, it might be better just to forget the meeting all together. (Unless, of course, everyone else is running behind too. There are some exceptions as always).

Refuse to Let Others Speak--Discussions are crucial for book clubs. If  you don’t let anyone speak, you’re hindering the discussion. If you don’t let anyone speak, you’re just hindering the discussion and that isn’t fun for anyone. Be sure to make your points heard, but let others speak as well.

Refuse to Participate--If you show up, you should participate. Otherwise, why would you even show up?

Let the Meeting Go Too Long--I’ve never been a fan of 4 hour long meetings. I think 2 hours is long enough to have an effective discussion, and if people want to stick around to socialize afterward, then that’s even better.

These are just my thoughts. Of course, I haven’t been the perfect book club members, but I think meetings always go more smoothly when these dos and don’ts are followed.