Charitable contributions are entered on Schedule A (Form 1040) Itemized Deductions, Lines 11-12. To be deductible, a contribution must be made to a qualified organization. See the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool for a searchable list of qualified organizations.

Donation Assistant

TaxAct Deluxe, Premier and Self-Employed users can quickly and easily enter information for donated items using the Donation Assistant. Donation Assistant provides you with the certified resale values of over 1,300 items so you can accurately determine how much the donated item is worth. The information you enter will automatically flow to the appropriate form in your tax return. If you need help accessing Donation Assistant in the TaxAct program, go to our Donation Assistant FAQ.

Q&A

To enter deductible contributions in the TaxAct program through the Q&A:

1. From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Federal (on smaller devices, click in the top left corner of your screen, then click Federal).
2. Click the Itemized or Standard Deductions dropdown, then click Charitable contributions.
3. Continue with the interview process to enter your information.

Per IRS Publication 526 Charitable Contributions, page 3:

Examples of Charitable Contributions—A Quick Check

Deductible As Charitable Contributions

Money or property you give to:

• Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other religious organizations
• Federal, state, and local governments, if your contribution is solely for public purposes (for example, a gift to reduce the public debt or maintain a public park)
• Nonprofit schools and hospitals
• The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, CARE, Goodwill Industries, United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, etc.
• War veterans' groups

Expenses paid for a student living with you, sponsored by a qualified organization

Out-of-pocket expenses when you serve a qualified organization as a volunteer

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Substantiation Requirements

You must keep records to prove the amount of the contributions you make during the year. The kind of records you must keep depends on the amount of your contributions and whether they are:

• Cash contributions,
• Noncash contributions, or
• Out-of-pocket expenses when donating your services.

Contributions must be verified: All donations, regardless of the amount, must be supported by a bank record or in writing from the charity. The written communication must include the name of the charity, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. You do not need to attach the supporting documentation to your return, but you should keep it with your tax records.

Additional information needed for donations over $500: If items in a donation exceed $500, the IRS requires that you report additional information, including the date you acquired the item. If you're entering a group of items that were acquired at different times, you can enter "Various" for the Date Acquired.

Related Links

• Deductible Charitable Contributions and Gifts

Note that any link in the information above is updated each year automatically and will take you to the most recent version of the webpage or document at the time it is accessed.