{"id":12860,"date":"2015-11-23T21:37:02","date_gmt":"2015-11-23T21:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resource-center.hrblock.com\/?p=12860"},"modified":"2020-02-01T15:30:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-01T21:30:10","slug":"can-i-deduct-cash-donations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrbcomlnp.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/filing\/adjustments-and-deductions\/can-i-deduct-cash-donations\/","title":{"rendered":"Give and Get: Tax Deductions for Cash Donations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As this is the time of year for giving,\u00a0we wanted to break down the tax benefits associated with\u00a0common charitable donations. This is the first in a series of three posts.<\/em><\/p>\n

The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) calls the last few months of the year \u201cThe Giving Season.\u201d It seems that during the holidays, we often feel more generous and are encouraged to give more. In addition to being philanthropic, this charitable giving also has a tax benefit, through taking charitable deductions. The IRS reported charitable deductions amounted to $194.6 billion in 2013<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What is one of the easiest things to donate and accepted everywhere? Cash. Cash donations include payments made in the form of cash, check, credit card, debit card or payroll deduction. Here are the details of the amount you can deduct and how.<\/p>\n

First: It Must Go to a Charitable Organization<\/h2>\n

You can only deduct amounts given to qualified organizations<\/a>. You can always check the IRS website if you aren\u2019t sure whether the organization is qualified for charitable donation purposes.<\/p>\n

Documentation Required<\/h2>\n

You will need some kind of record<\/a> to prove that you did make a cash donation to a charitable organization in order to claim the deduction.<\/p>\n

If the annual amount donated is less than $250, a bank record, receipt or acknowledgement letter from the organization that you made the donation to will suffice.<\/p>\n

Bank records may include a bank statement, an electronic funds transfer receipt, a cancelled check, or a credit card statement.<\/p>\n

If the donation is more than $250, you will need a written acknowledgement from the organization.<\/p>\n

If you use documentation<\/a> from the receiving organization there are some requirements. The document must state:<\/p>\n