Charitable donations to get break from IRS

Tax season is getting easier for people and charities involved in the outpouring of generosity that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced it won’t require as much immediate documentation as usual for people who made donations last fall, making it simpler for taxpayers to claim deductions and lifting a paperwork burden for hundreds of nonprofit organizations.

Newly created organizations, tax experts say, could be having trouble getting out the paperwork a taxpayer needs to justify claiming a charitable deduction.

The new rules give taxpayers who made donations after Sept. 11 another six months to either obtain the normal written acknowledgment or show a good-faith effort to get one. Such an effort could include a letter or an e-mail sent to the charity. The deadline is Oct. 15.

Investments: 401(k) fears on the rise

Feeling anxious about your 401(k) in the wake of Enron’s collapse? You’re not alone.

Nearly half the nation’s workers are more concerned about and interested in their 401(k) plans since Enron collapsed in December, online research firm InSightExpress reports.

Employees are so concerned that a third of them have considered purchasing some form of retirement insurance to protect them from Enron-like situations. In addition, four out of 10 employees would welcome some form of reassurance from their employer about the security of their retirement fund.

InsightExpress also found that just 1 percent of workers trusted their employers to provide sound financial guidance.

The study was conducted in early March 2002 among 300 investors.

Motley Fool: Name that company

Born in 1946 and based in Orlando, Fla., I’m a $1.1 billion multinational party animal that’s known to burp. I’m a premier direct seller of food storage, preparation and serving items, as well. I also offer people (mainly women) the opportunity to earn money. In 2000 I bought BeautiControl, a direct seller of beauty and skin care products. More than a million of my independent sales consultants serve customers in more than 100 nations. I also offer my wares in some stores, on TV and online. Most of my sales happen in Europe and Asia, and I’m moving into Latin America. Who am I?

Finances: Survey studies ATM fees

Banks across the country are on pace to collect $2.2 billion in ATM surcharge fees this year, according to a new study by Bankrate.com.

The study found the average ATM surcharge is now $1.47, and nearly 90 percent of all institutions assess some sort of surcharge fee. Consumers also are facing higher fees from their own banks when they use another bank’s ATM. That fee now averages $1.38, up from previous years.

Approximately 85 percent of all banks are not charging customers to receive cash back with their ATM card when it is used to purchase goods or services from retailers, like at gas and grocery stores, who allow consumers to pay with their debit cards.