Good morning,
As 2024 dwindles to its final weeks, it’s high time to consider financial moves for tax purposes, such as a tax-deductible gift to a nonprofit.
While donations to U.S. charities technically rose to more than $557 billion in 2023, overall giving actually declined when adjusted for inflation. Many point to an increased standard deduction—thanks to the 2017 Trump tax cuts—as an explanation for this drop in giving because fewer taxpayers are choosing to itemize.
Remember to choose wisely, only donations to qualified charitable organizations are deductible on your federal taxes, and always ask for a receipt—even for cash. And if you’re interested in other tax dodges—cough—strategic moves that might make sense before December 31, keep reading for year-end tax advice from Forbes senior contributor William Baldwin.
Thousands took part in a protest calling for the resignation of South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul on December 4, 2024.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted his declaration of emergency martial law Tuesday, hours after first announcing a decree seizing control of the national media and banning “political activities.” The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1980, during an uprising against the country’s then-military dictatorship. A U.S. national security official said the U.S. was not notified prior to Yoon’s decision.
MORE: Lawmakers from South Korea’s opposition parties submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol Wednesday, amid widespread public anger and protests. The motion will likely be put to a vote later this week, though several senior members of Yoon’s staff have already resigned.
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential defense secretary nominee, amid growing doubts about his current pick Pete Hegseth’s chances of securing Senate confirmation as he faces scrutiny over allegations of sexual assault and drunken public behavior. Picking DeSantis for a cabinet role would mark a turnaround in his relationship with Trump, who repeatedly mocked the governor once he emerged as the president-elect’s........