You’re less likely to forget the big check you wrote to a charity when tax time rolls around. You probably received a receipt from the lucky organization acknowledging your donation. If not, there should be a cancelled check or credit card statement floating around to serve as a reminder.
But it’s easy to overlook small out-of-pocket costs incurred while doing work for a charity. For example, ingredients for casseroles you prepare for a nonprofit's soup kitchen and stamps you buy for a school's fund-raiser count as charitable contributions.
Save your receipts. If your contribution totals more than $250, you'll also need an acknowledgement from the charity documenting the support you provided. If you drove your car for charity in 2016, remember to deduct 14 cents per mile, plus parking and tolls paid, on your tax return.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
See IRS Publication 526 for more on charitable contributions.
Plus, learn more about all 23 commonly overlooked tax deductions before you file your federal return.
-
A New TSA Fee Is Coming for Travelers With No REAL IDDon't have a REAL ID yet? You might get hit with a fee to go through security at the airport.
-
Dow Soars 493 Points in Fed-Fueled Bounce: Stock Market TodayNew York Fed President John Williams struck a dovish tone Friday, which eased Wall Street's worries over a potential December pause.
-
3 Ways High-Income Earners Can Maximize Their Charitable Donations in 2025Tax Deductions New charitable giving tax rules will soon lower your deduction for donations to charity — here’s what you should do now.
-
An HSA Sounds Great for Taxes: Here’s Why It Might Not Be Right for YouHealth Savings Even with the promise of ‘triple tax benefits,’ a health savings account might not be the best health plan option for everyone.
-
10 Retirement Tax Plan Moves to Make Before December 31Retirement Taxes Proactively reviewing your health coverage, RMDs and IRAs can lower retirement taxes in 2025 and 2026. Here’s how.
-
The Original Property Tax Hack: Avoiding The ‘Window Tax’Property Taxes Here’s how homeowners can challenge their home assessment and potentially reduce their property taxes — with a little lesson from history.
-
Three Critical Tax Changes Could Boost Your Paycheck in 2026Tax Tips The IRS predicts these tax breaks may change take-home pay in 2026. Will you get over $1,000 in tax savings?
-
What’s the New 2026 Estate Tax Exemption Amount?Estate Tax The IRS just increased the exemption as we enter into a promising tax year for estates and inheritances.
-
IRS Updates 2026 Tax Deduction for People Age 65 and OlderTax Changes Adjustments to the extra standard deduction can impact the tax bills of millions of older adults. Here are some new amounts to know for 2026.
-
IRS Reveals New 2026 Child Tax Credit and other Family Credit AmountsTax Credits Key family tax breaks are higher for 2026, including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Adoption Credit. Here's what they're worth.
