Charity donation guide: Make sure you know where your money is going

Americans are a charitable people by their very nature, but at no time of the year are they more charitable than right now!

The end of the year offers a great time to clean out your house in preparation for a new year — not to mention reduce your tax bill by giving yourself a smaller taxable income.

Read more: Year-end giving that also gives YOU a tax write off

Here are some more important tips to keep in mind when donating

Before donating to any charity, you want to be sure that the lion's share of the money will go where it's needed. Every charity has different overhead costs. You can research you favorite charities and learn how much of your donation will go to the intended purpose (vs. how much will go to overhead) at Give.org , CharityWatch.org and CharityNavigator.org .

You should also keep the following in mind:

• Don't feel pressured to give cash. Legitimate charities will take a check.
• Don't give credit card, bank account or personal information to telemarketers. If you want to donate, initiate the call yourself.
• Don't give out your Social Security number!
• Don't give to Internet appeals if the cause does not look legitimate and doesn't check out. Traditional frauds have gone electronic in recent years, giving con artists easy access to thousands of potential victims.
• Don't give in to pressure. Anyone that can't wait for a donation while you check out his or her organization is likely to be a crook.
• Donating an old vehicle? Be aware of special considerations.
• Expect specific information. Ask what kind of relief this organization is going to provide. Don't give to a vague appeal.
• Check out the charity with national, state and local authorities. Established charities register with the Internal Revenue Service. You can search for specific non-profit organizations at IRS.gov.
• Beware of newly formed organizations. If the charity is new, you may have to rely on your relationship with the company or sponsor of the organization to determine whether you trust the group.
• Report abuses to the nearest Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General's office. Both are listed in local telephone directories. You can also report abuses to the National Fraud Information Center at (800) 876-7060. NFIC also has a web-based complaint form at Fraud.org.

Remember, do give! The reality is scammers are out there. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be generous. With the sites listed above that vet various charities, you can give with confidence.

Read more: 7 senior scams and how to combat them

Why donating to online fundraisers can be dangerous

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