Giving back , charities gain too.

                                              We can't forget how fortunate we are to live in America versus others around the world. We have freedom to speak, live, and invest as we wish.  At the end of the day wealth is saved, used to buy things, or to help others in need.  I encourage you to mark some of your investments for current and future charitable donations. In most cases both you and the charity gain by this. Rather than cash donations, donate stock that has appreciated. They get it tax free. You don't pay on the gains and even get a tax deduction if you itemize, which could leave you with even more to donate. Charity Navigator is a good place to start researching causes that interest you.  I would only consider organizations with three or four stars. At the end of the day "paying it forward" is the only way to take it with you.