Donation for first collection

[ratio1]

I remember someone told me years ago that a general guide to how much to donate to first collection is x % of after tax income. I forgot what that x is. Has anyone heard of this before and even if you haven’t what range of x do you think is reasonable?

 

[TheLittleLady]

The Catholic “general rule of thumb” is 5% to your parish and 5% to other charities.

Was always taught that we give to God from our “first fruits”, not what is left over after taxes.

The Protestant world thinks differently.

From the time a child can have a concept of money, they are taught that 10% goes to their Church. That they should also give offerings above that to other charities, but, that first 10% goes in the collection basket come Sunday morning. If a little kid gets a dollar from grandma, they are taught to give a dime to the Sunday offering. It becomes a way of life.

 

[ratio1]

Was always taught that we give to God from our “first fruits”, not what is left over after taxes.

Surely there are low tax and high tax countries so it makes more sense to be after tax because that’s your disposable income.

Thank you for your figures by the way.

 

[DaveBj]

Was always taught that we give to God from our “first fruits”, not what is left over after taxes.

The offering of first fruits was a completely different from the tithe; it is what its name states – an offering from the first harvesting of whatever crop we’re talking about. The tithe, on the other hand is of the “increase”, and that can’t be calculated until the entire harvest is in. In terms that most of us understand, on the 30th of the month my bank balance is so much, and on the next day it has grown. The amount of the growth is the “increase”, and that is the amount that should be tithed on, if one is a tither.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

The x in your question should stand for reasonable. Give a reasonable percentage. It’s up to the individual to decide what is reasonable to them.