By AP/KWMU
Springfield, Ill. – Illinois taxpayers will be able to give to a dozen charitable causes this year when they file their taxes. That's the most in state history.
The checkoff on their state tax forms allows money to go to a special fund which passes out grants for those causes.
Any amount of $1 or more can be donated. The amount is either deducted from the taxpayer's refund or added to the amount due.
In tax year 2002, checkoffs raised a total of nearly $1.5 million.
There are five new check-offs on this year's tax forms. They are for:
Asthma and Lung Research
Leukemia Treatment and education
Lou Gehrig's Disease Research
Military Family Relief
World War II Veterans' Memorial
Those five will join the seven other check-offs that have been on tax forms in years past. Those are:
Wildlife Preservation
Child Abuse Prevention
Alzheimer's Research
Homeless Assistance
Breast Cancer Research
Prostate Cancer Research
Multiple Sclerosis