As you rush to get your charitable donations in before Dec. 31, don't forget to think about a giving plan for 2018.
While it might sound like just one more thing to add to your to-do list, experts say there are good reasons for it. For one, taking time to evaluate your giving is a good gut-check that you can afford to part with that cash. It also can help alleviate pressure — whether self-imposed or external — to give.
"If you give to everyone who asks you to give, there's no real value in that," said Edward Kramer, a certified financial planner with Abacus Planning Group in Columbia, South Carolina. "If your heart isn't in it, you really miss out on the joy of giving. You're only giving because someone asked."