The wealthiest Americans could donate billions more to charity than they
currently do without affecting their lifestyle, according to a study by the
NewTithing Group, a firm run by former asset manager Claude Rosenberg, author of
a 1994 book on how to determine how much to donate to charity.  NewTithing
reviewed data on the country’s 400 wealthiest tax filers—who gave $20.2 billion
to charity between 1997 and 2000—and claims that by harnessing tax-advantaged
giving approaches and other techniques, they could have given an additional $19
billion.
The report does not address crucial factors behind our decisions
regarding our charitable giving. Among these factors are the gneral decline in
confidence in charities since 2001, competing demands for capital and investment
opportunities, and the effects of the efforts to make charities more efficient.
(See “Rebuilding Giving,” page 30.) It merely examines affluent American’s
financial capacity. “In the four-year period from 1997 to 2000, average
salaries for the 400 wealthiest U.S. tax filers more than doubled to
approximately $30 million a year,” says Tim Stone, NewTithing Group’s president
and executive director.
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