It can strike without warning, and leave its victims disabled for life. We’re talking about a stroke. Approximately 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented. Strokes that fall in the remaining 20 percent category can be attributed to the following factors:

Age- Strokes can strike you at any age, but your risk for one increases the older you get. Once you reach the 55-year mark, your risk doubles every 10 years.

Gender- Statistically, strokes tend to affect women more than men, but this is partially because women tend to live longer than men. Each year, an average of 55,000 more women than men have strokes. Women are two times more likely to die of a stroke than they are of breast cancer. However, men are more susceptible to strokes in their younger age than women

Race –When it comes to a risk factor, African Americans are two times more likely to have a stroke than Caucasian. Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islanders also have a higher risk.

Family history- A tendency towards stroke runs in your genes. If you have a relative who had a stroke, this means you and everyone else in your family have a higher risk of having one as well.

If you think someone may be having a stroke, perform a test called F.A.S.T. The “F” stands for face–ask the person to smile and look for a drooping in the facial muscles. “A” is for arms–ask the person to raise both arms, and see if one arm drifts down. “S” stands for speech–ask the person to repeat a sentence, and listen for slurred speech. “T” is for time–if a person has any symptoms, time is of the essence. It is important to get stroke victims to a hospital quickly.

A person may be having a stroke if he has sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, sudden confusion or trouble speaking, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness and a sudden severe headache with no cause. If you recognize any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.

During the season of giving, Americans dig into their pockets to give back to their favorite charities. If you’re hesitant to give, just remember: you can give AND receive this holiday season with tax deductions on charitable donations, minimizing taxable income and lowering the total amount you owe come April 15.

Where does my gift need to go to make it tax deductible?

Score a deduction by itemizing and filing a 1040 form when you donate to a qualified organization. Non-profit institutions like religious groups, public government causes, nonprofit schools and hospitals, public parks and recreation areas, and war veterans’ groups fall under the qualified category, whereas for-profit entities, individuals, or political candidates for public office, don’t make the cut.

What’s with itemizing?

There are two types of deductions: standard and itemized. Standard is a fixed amount that reduces the income you’re taxed based on your filing status and age. Itemized lets you list your deductions on a schedule, which includes filings like property taxes and charitable donations. If you claim standard instead of itemized on gifts, you may not receive the deduction you deserve.

How much can I deduct from charitable donations?

If your cash benefits a public organization, deduct up to 50 percent from that year’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). That means that a $25,000 donation from your $40,000 AGI will only let you claim $20,000 on your charitable gift in the year that you give it. You can, however, roll over that extra $5,000 up to five years after donating.

I donated stuff, not cash. Does that count?

Yep! Household goods (clothing, furniture, certain appliances, etc.) and other personal property can be claimed based on fair market value. However, it must be in good or better shape that when it was first purchased for the IRS to count it as a deduction. Regardless of the item, keep track of receipts from your donated items, which is especially required for donations of more than $250.