[AlbertCory]

> how many NPR contributors itemize their donations.

what's your point? Who else's can you itemize?

> when you start talking millions there aren’t enough billionaires for the group to mostly consist of billionaires

who mentioned millionaires, or billionaires? For that matter, that entire paragraph doesn't make any sense. I proposed a very simple test, which we unfortunately can't get the data for (easily).

when you watch a PBS pledge drive, they do seem to emphasize "tax-deductible" a lot when they ask for your pledge. So they must think it matters, at least.

[Retric]

> what's your point?

Many people who could deduct donations don’t because they don’t bother with the paperwork. It’s a very meaningful distinction because the option doesn’t inherently cost tax payers anything only those who actually use it do.

Being tax deductible on the other hand is an easy way to saying they’re a legit charity. Anything that isn’t tax deductible that still wants donations should raise major red flags.

[AlbertCory]

OK, point taken. IF that's true. Where's your data on "Many people who could deduct donations don’t"?

Who would have this data, after all? Not the IRS, since by definition the taxpayer didn't file it.

Tax preparers would know if their clients decline to file itemized, but would they report it? Similarly, TurboTax or other servers might know, but I doubt they'd release such data.

So we're left with self-reporting.