Can I donate money to the Government?

Factual Questions
1

So suppose I’m filing my annual tax returns and I figure that the government just doesn’t have enough money to fulfil it’s tasks and that I would like to, in some small way, help the government out by paying more than my fair share of taxes. Is there any established procedure to do that? Can I just tell the government that I want to give it more money that I have to?

What if I want to direct it towards a particular area? Could I go to the DMV say and make a donation and have that placed into the annual budget for that DMV?

Also, what is the procedure like in other countries? Is there some established international standard?

2

If you are so inclined, you can donate money directly to Bureau of Public Debt. Which, I might add, is really, really stupid.

3

Here is a link to the procedure in Ontario, Canada: http://www.trd.fin.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/cma_3_2469_1.html

4

Massachusetts has that or at least did the last time I checked on the state tax forms. It was a concession from a previous failure at raising the state tax rate. Supporters were given the option of paying more than the existing rate if they think they aren’t paying enough. There are a small but significant portion of people who volunteered to pay more.

5

Don’t raise your head above the parapet, sunshine.

They’ll think you have a guilty conscience or are setting up mitigating circumstances.

6

Shalmanese, the general purpose solution is to take up smoking, then go on a drunken bender every weekend where you end up buying $500 worth of scratch tickets at the end. You can work in additional government revenue generators as you are able but I see a lot of altruistic people here attempt to do the same thing all the time. God bless them.

7

Shalmanese: Just send the money to me, and I’ll, um, see to it that it gets to the government.

8

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if you donated some extra money to the government and then got audited for some really minor mistake in your declaration?

9

For those so inclined, the procedure for making a donation is available on the Bureau’s website.

10

Last few times I’ve done my taxes, there has been a little spot on the form (or equivalently, a question on the online program) after you’ve added up how much you owe, where you can add any additional amount you might want to give. I can’t imagine very many people do, but I suppose it wouldn’t take very many to make it worthwhile to put the option there.