Donating To Public Charities To Lower Your Tax Burden

By Brian Wood


As the end of the year approaches, many people and business owners start to prepare for next year's tax season. They realize that they might owe a sizable debt to the government. They want to come up with ways to save money and claim deductions on their returns. Many decide that it would be a good idea to donate to some of the public charities in their areas. You can use this tactic and get a legal deduction for your taxes by learning how to identify legitimate charitable organizations.

The most straightforward way to tell if a charity can give you a deduction is to look for its 501 (c) (3) that it can only get from the IRS. If it has this license, it means that it put in the necessary paperwork to validate its mission and services. The IRS permits it to accept donations from people in the area and also give proof to donors that they can claim the deductions on their tax returns. 0

Before you give any cash, write a check, make a donation with a credit card, or sign over possession of assets to it, you are reminded to ask about the organization's 501 (c) (3) status. If the person in charge refuses to disclose this information or says that it does not have it, you can donate. However, you will not get the deduction to claim on your taxes.

If it does have the licensing, it can give you a receipt of your donation, which you can then use to claim the deduction on the return. The receipt will tell you how much you donated, what the value of the asset was, on what date you made the contribution, and to what organization it was made. The IRS might ask that you turn in this document with the return.

Many of these organizations especially the ones that are in most need of funds will make it a priority to get involved with the community. The leaders know that this exposure will bring attention to their cause and entice people to give cash and other contributions. The ones that shy away from the center of attention risk not getting donations at all.

When you want to take the most straightforward path to getting the deduction, you have the option of donating to your church. Most churches are non-profit and have this license from the IRS. Your weekly or monthly tithes count toward the deduction on your taxes. Most churches mail out proof of the donations toward the end of the year and in time for tax season.

To claim an exemption, it typically has to be $500 or more per year. Donations under that amount are not generally eligible to claim on taxes. Your gift is appreciated but not enough to lower your tax burden.

A tax debt can take months or years to pay off in full. You have legal loopholes available to you, however. You might shave some cash off the amount and perform some good works in the community by donating money to charities that serve the public. You can choose the right ones to patron by knowing what criteria allow them to provide you with receipts you then can use to get credits on your taxes.




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