Income Tax Service 5200 W Market St Greensboro, NC 27409 336-852-9505

Terry Hough President

March 16, 2015

Nine Tips on Deducting Charitable Contributions

If this sounds familiar, yes I am recycling a newsletter from 2013. It still is applicable. Plus, it would appear that many of our clients are not getting the proper receipts to support their deductions. Please read through this and make sure you have adequate support for your charitable deductions. And, when it comes to non-cash deductions such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc., a simple drop-off receipt is not sufficient to support the deduction. You have to work a little harder to support non-cash deductions.

Here are nine tips to help ensure your contributions pay off on your tax return.

1. If you want a tax deduction, you must donate to a qualified charitable organization. You cannot deduct contributions you make to either an individual, a political organization or a political candidate
2. You must file Form 1040 and itemize your deductions on Schedule A. If your total deduction for all noncash contributions for the year is more than $500, you must also file Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions, with your tax return.
3. If you receive a benefit of some kind in return for your contribution, you can only deduct the amount that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit you received. Examples of benefits you may receive in return for your contribution include merchandise, tickets to an event or other goods and services.
4. Donations of stock or other non-cash property are usually valued at fair market value. Used clothing and household items generally must be in good condition to be deductible. Special rules apply to vehicle donations.
5. Fair market value is generally the price at which someone can sell the property.
6. You must have a written record about your donation in order to deduct any cash gift, regardless of the amount. Cash contributions include those made by check or other monetary methods. That written record can be a written statement from the organization, a bank record or a payroll deduction record that substantiates your donation. That documentation should include the name of the organization, the date and amount of the contribution. A telephone bill meets this requirement for text donations if it shows this same information.
7. To claim a deduction for gifts of cash or property worth $250 or more, you must have a written statement from the qualified organization. The statement must show the amount of the cash or a description of any property given. It must also state whether the organization provided any goods or services in exchange for the gift.
8. You may use the same document to meet the requirement for a written statement for cash gifts and the requirement for a written acknowledgement for contributions of $250 or more.
9. If you donate one item or a group of similar items that are valued at more than $5,000, you must also complete Section B of Form 8283. This section generally requires an appraisal by a qualified appraiser.

Additional IRS Resources:

• Schedule A, Itemized Deductions
• Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions

Our office is located at 5200 W. Market Street Greensboro, NC 27409 Phone: 336-852-9505 FAX : 866-616-0471 email:     taxservice@electrofile.com website: ElectroFile Income Tax Service

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Office Hours
Dates		Days	Open	Close
Tax Season	January 17 - April 17	Mon - Fri	9:00am	7:00pm
		Sat	9:00am	3:00pm
Non-Tax Season	April 18 - January 15	Mon - Thurs	9:00am	11:30am