04cesage

Age Bracket Highlights

Table 4: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2004 Cash Contributions by Age

•	Who gives the most cash contributions to charitable causes?

In 2004, people in the 65-74 years age bracket gave the most charitable contributions, whether measured in dollars or as a portion of after-tax income.

•	How much did young people give?

People in the Under 25 years bracket gave less than one percent of their after-tax incomes, that is, 0.8%.

•	What charitable contributions category did young people give to?

Those in the Under 25 age bracket gave 0.75% of their after-tax income to "churches, religious organizations." That represents about 94% of the 0.8% of after-tax income that this age bracket gave to charity.

•	Are there trends in giving as people age?

The percent of after-tax income cash contributions increased in each age bracket through the 65-74 years cohort. The 75 years and older cohort decreased only slightly, from 3.6% in the 65-74 years bracket to 3.4% in the 75 years and older bracket.

•	Do people in different age brackets contribute to different charitable categories?

Giving to the category of "church, religious organizations" was highest, compared to other contributions categories, in every age bracket, whether measured in dollars or as a portion of after-tax income.

Giving to the category of "church, religious organizations" increased as a portion of after-tax income as age increased. As a result, "church, religious organizations" cash contributions as a portion of income were highest in the 75 years and older bracket.

Giving to the category of "educational institutions" was highest, compared to other age brackets, in the 65-74 years bracket.

Giving to the category of "charities and other organizations" was highest in the 65-74 years bracket. Although this category in the 55-64 years bracket was second in terms of the number of dollars given, this category in the 75 years and older bracket was second in terms of the portion of after-tax income.

Table 4: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey,
2004 Cash Contributions by Age

Item	All consumer units	Under 25 years	25-34 years	35-44 years	45-54 years	55-64 years	65-74 years	75 years and older
Number of consumer units (in thousands)	116,282	8,817	19,439	24,070	23,712	17,479	11,230	11,536
Consumer unit characteristics:
Income after taxes	$52,287	$22,507	$50,819	$63,202	$66,761	$58,043	$41,126	$27,142
Average Annual Expenditures Cash Contributions Cash contributions to:
charities and other organizations	$157.51	$11.84	$52.22	$95.71	$142.09	$216.48	$505.49	$178.80
church, religious organizations	565.11	168.68	392.32	500.27	661.78	728.31	773.73	645.52
educational institutions	46.06	1.27	12.80	43.26	32.76	35.99	184.19	50.30
Gifts to non-CU members of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds	24.97	∗	12.80	23.78	11.94	50.08	26.71	54.12
Total (calculated)	$793.65	$181.79	$470.14	$663.02	$848.57	$1,030.86	$1,490.12	$928.74
Calculated: % of Income after Taxes Cash contributions to:
charities and other organizations	0.30%	0.05%	0.10%	0.15%	0.21%	0.37%	1.23%	0.66%
church, religious organizations	1.08%	0.75%	0.77%	0.79%	0.99%	1.25%	1.88%	2.38%
educational institutions	0.09%	0.01%	0.03%	0.07%	0.05%	0.06%	0.45%	0.19%
Gifts to non-CU members of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds	0.05%	∗	0.03%	0.04%	0.02%	0.09%	0.06%	0.20%
Total	1.5%	0.8%	0.9%	1.0%	1.3%	1.8%	3.6%	3.4%

Details in the above table may not compute to the numbers shown due to rounding.
Source: empty tomb, inc. 2006 analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CE Survey, 2004
* No data reported.