Ways to Give: Donation Payment Options

In addition to credit card and bank transfer donations made directly on the Best Charities and Cause Funds pages, we offer a number of other donation payment methods. 

All donations of $2 or more made via thelifeyoucansave.org are tax-deductible in the U.S. For other countries, see our Tax Deductibility page.

Why consider an alternate payment method? 

  • A 3.7% platform fee, plus standard credit card charges, is deducted by Donorbox (our donation platform) and Stripe (our payment processor) when donating by credit card. For donations over $999, fees increase.

To avoid these fees and ensure 100% of your donation goes to your chosen charity or fund, we recommend donating by bank transfer, or one of the options below.

Bank Transfer, Cheque or Zelle

There are no fees when donating this way – 100% of your gift goes directly to the charity or charities you choose.

To donate via Bank transfer (ACH/direct deposit/wire transfer), Cheque or Zelle:

  1. Click on the Donate Now link below and fill out the form.
  2. You’ll receive an email with your unique donation reference number and step-by-step instructions.

Donate Now

Chase Bill Pay

Customers using Chase Bill Pay can now search for “The Life You Can Save” in Chase’s directory. The Life You Can Save will get paid electronically, without the hassle of managing checks.

PayPal

PayPal Giving Fund

You can use PayPal Giving Fund to donate directly to The Life You Can Save.

  • PayPal does not charge any fees on donations made through this page.
  • Donations via PayPal Giving Fund are tax-deductible in the U.S.
  • Your donation receipt will be issued by PayPal.
PayPal One-time or Recurring Donations

PayPal can also be used to donate to any of our Cause Funds or to The Life You Can Save itself, either as a one-time or recurring donation.

  • A PayPal processing fee of 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction applies.
  • Donations via PayPal are tax-deductible in the U.S.
  • Your donation receipt will be issued by PayPal.

Cryptocurrency

We accept cryptocurrency donations in support of both The Life You Can Save itself and our recommended charities.

  • Donations are processed securely by Crypto for Charity.
  • Crypto for Charity charges zero fees for processing donations, making cryptocurrency a highly efficient way to give.
  • Accepted cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and others.
  • Visit our Donate Crypto page for details and to donate.

Questions? Email us at cryptoinfo@thelifeyoucansave.org

Employee / Payroll Giving

The Life You Can Save and many of our recommended charities are registered on various employee and payroll giving platforms such as Benevity, Bright Funds and YourCause.

Speak with a representative of your Payroll or Human Resources team to see if your organization participates in payroll giving. 

Corporate Matching

Many companies match all or part of their employees’ charitable donations.

  • To request a match, simply share your donation receipt with your employer or search for your company’s name on Double The Donation. 

Need additional info for your employer? Contact us  and we’ll be happy to help.

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)

You can give through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with Fidelity, Schwab, or BNY Direct.

  • This tool connects you directly to your DAF provider’s website, where you can complete your donation request as usual. 
  • Using the DAF Direct tool allows The Life You Can Save to be notified of your donation.

For other DAF providers, please select The Life You Can Save as the nonprofit organization in your normal giving process. In the notes, memo, or comments section, indicate how you would like your donation to be allocated — either to The Life You Can Save itself or to any of our recommended charities.

If you have any questions about donations through DAFs, please contact our Finance Department.

Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from traditional or Roth IRAs have been permanently extended.

Individuals can donate up to $100,000 per year directly from an IRA to qualifying charities.

Key benefits of QCDs:

  • May offer tax advantages even if you don’t itemize deductions
  • Can satisfy all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
  • Eligible distributions are non-taxable, so federal and state taxes do not need to be withheld
  • Can provide tax benefits even when taking the standard deduction

To make a QCD, contact the advisor or firm where your IRA is held.

Stock

Donating stock is a powerful way to make an impact.

Please submit this form to receive the brokerage details needed to facilitate your gift of appreciated assets.

Gifts in Wills

Leave a legacy that fights global poverty. 

Include The Life You Can Save or one of our recommended charities in your Will.

 

Our Mailing Address: The Life You Can Save, PO Box 2135, Novato, CA, 94948

Our EIN (Employer Identification Number): 46-2100400