Baby Boomers claim they gave more during 2006.

Baby Boomers report that they gave more to charity during 2006 than in 2005, with average total donations expected to be $6,000. This is the highest level among all generations surveyed and about 20 percent greater than the overall donor average of $5,000, according to a new nationwide survey by the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, which is the largest donor-advised fund program in the United States.

The Gift Fund's survey indicates that the 78 million Baby Boomers in the United States were on track as of early December to give approximately $100 billion to charity during 2006, a 25-percent increase compared to last year's estimated $79 billion in charitable donations by the Boomers.

"Boomers continue to have a significant impact on philanthropy, and many of them believe that it is a feeling of social responsibility that motivates the average donor to make charitable contributions," said David L. Giunta, president of the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund.

The survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, an independent research firm, from a random sample of 1,015 individuals 25 years or older, with an expected 2006 minimum cash/securities donation of at least $1,000 for those 30 years and older and $250 or more for those under 30 years old.

While the greatest share of working donors (43 percent overall, and 47 percent of Baby Boomers) believe they will have to cut back their giving amounts after they retire, only 20 percent of retirees (age 60 and older) actually had to do so, and another 32 percent were able to donate more, according to the study. Donor concerns regarding their ability to give in retirement come at a time when individuals are increasingly burdened with financing their own retirement, which could include greater retiree health care costs and uncertainty regarding pension and Social Security benefits.

"People often underestimate what they'll be able to give in retirement, so we're not surprised that donors are thinking more conservatively about their future capacity to give," said Giunta.

The Gift Fund survey also revealed that some generational differences in giving might be emerging, driven in part by whether parents discuss charitable giving with their children. Only 34 percent of Boomers report that their parents discussed the importance of charitable giving with them more than a few times (in total) while growing up.

The Gift Fund's research also shows that more than half (52 percent) of younger donors (ages 25-39) are taking the time to carefully plan their giving each year. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of this group plan to give more of their paycheck to charity during their lifetimes than their parents did. Correspondingly, parental discussions of charitable giving were most common among younger donors, with almost half (46 percent) saying their parents spoke about it with them at least annually. And not surprisingly, younger donors report that their giving behavior is impacted most often by their parents (26 percent).

Overall grants to charity from the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund were at record levels through November 2006. Granting surpassed $945 million for the 12 months ended November 30, up nearly 13 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Contributions to the Gift Fund for the same period were $1.2 billion, up approximately 21 percent year-over-year. Additionally, Gift Fund donors have now recommended grants totaling more than $6.4 billion to more than 100,000 nonprofit organizations since the Gift Fund's inception in 1991.