Your Charitable Donations May Be Tax Deductible

By Franklin G Anstine

When making charitable donations, you may be eligible for a tax deduction accordingly. According to the Internal Revenue Service, donations may reduce what you owe the government and lower your taxable income. When filing your taxes, you will need to list these donations as tax deductible in order to be approved.

IRS Form 1040, Schedule A is used to list various contributions, both monetary and property, to charity organizations.

Criteria are fairly strict with regards to determining tax exemption of gifts and must be met for eligibility.

First, you must follow through with the donation of gifts or money. A pledge to donate is not sufficient for claiming a tax deduction. Once you pay, you will be eligible to do so.

Donating lumps of money and property to any organization does not necessarily qualify for exemption. In order to claim a gift, organization to which you donate must be a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. Various charities maintain this nonprofit status, which indicates special tax regulations.

In order to claim your donation, you will need to itemize what you have given. If you cannot itemize your donations, you will not be eligible for exemption.

Finally, there are strict rules about keeping records of what you give. This includes everything from checks, receipts, acknowledgment letters and property appraisals. Without proper documentation, your gifts are practically nonexistent in the eyes of the government.

While you can claim various charitable gifts you have given, there are some limits on both itemized deductions as well as specific charitable contributions. For the most part, you can deduct cash contributions up to fifty percent of your adjusted gross income. In the same light, you can also typically deduct property contributions up to thirty percent while deduction of appreciated capital gains assets can be made up to twenty percent. Oftentimes, contributions above these limits can be carried over to next year, with a maximum of five years being the norm.

There are several donations that are not considered tax deductible. These include volunteer time for a nonprofit organization, as well as fines or penalties paid to the government. Contributions to for-profit organizations or foreign governments or fees and dues paid to memberships are also ineligible. Lastly, donations to political parties and campaigns, labor unions and business associations, and individuals are not deductible.

If you are unsure about the eligibility of your charitable donations for tax exemptions, it is best to check with the receiving organization as well as the Internal Revenue Service. Representatives will be able to walk you through the application process and answer any questions you may have. - 31821

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