Melinda Gates

Turns out a bigger paycheck doesn't necessarily lead to more charitable giving.Despite the headlines dedicated to donations made by superrich celebrities like Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah Winfrey, data shows that the most charitable people in the U.S. aren't those making six or even seven-figure salaries, it's lower-income people.In an article in The Atlantic this month, author Ken Stern details the charitable divide between the income classes. The author of "With Charity for All: Why Charities Are Failing and a Better Way to Give," writes that in 2011, Americans with earnings in the top 20% of income levels contributed, on average, 1.3% of their income to charity. Those at the bottom 20% donated 3.2% of their cash to charity—more than double of what their more-wealthy counterparts donated.What's more, Stern says those at the bottom income levels often do not itemize their tax returns, so they aren't taking advantage of the charitable tax deduction.Caroline Preston, senior reporter at The...

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