It’s that time of year.  From now until December 31, you’re likely to receive tons of requests for charitable contributions from nonprofits.  Though you’d like to give something to all (or at least most) of them, it’s not practical.  Besides… do you even know how much you can afford to give?

It’s a great (and difficult) question, isn’t it?

The fact is that there are many ways to get something from your giving, but you have to know how much you can (or should) give first.  And that’s where a CPA and/or CFO can help you analyze your books.  For instance, someone with financial expertise can help you evaluate how much you can reasonably afford to donate to local, national or international nonprofits.

Never forget that it’s customary for businesses to give back to their communities in some form, even in difficult economic times such as those we’ve been experiencing in 2009.  Make sure you work with a CPA or CFO so you don’t wind up hurting your cash flow as you’re trying to help others.