Donating cash and property to your favorite charity is beneficial to the charity, but also to you in the form of a tax deduction if you itemize. However, to be deductible, your donation must meet certain IRS criteria.
First, the charity you’re donating to must be a qualified charitable organization, with tax-exempt status. The Exempt Organizations Search tool on the IRS website allows users to search for a specific organization and check its federal tax-exempt status.
Second, contributions must be actually paid, not simply pledged. So, if you pledge $5,000 in 2023 but have paid only $1,500 by Dec. 31, 2023, you can deduct only $1,500 on your 2023 tax return.
Third, substantiation rules apply, and they vary based on the type and amount of the donation. For example, some donated property may require you to obtain a professional appraisal of value.
Many additional rules and limits apply to the charitable donation deduction.
