Charitable contributions are entered on Schedule A (1040), Lines 11-12. To be deductible, a contribution must be made to a qualified organization. See the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (formerly Select Check) 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. Click Tools and then Donation Assistant. This tool will provide 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.

Additional Information

Note. Regardless of the amount of your contribution, it must be supported by a bank record or a written communication 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 this supporting documentation to your return, but should keep it with your tax records.

Examples of Deductible Charitable Contributions:

• Money or property you give to:
  • Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other religious organizations (including tithes)
  • Federal, state, and local governments, if your contribution is solely for public purposes (for example, a gift to reduce the public debt)
  • Nonprofit schools and hospitals
  • Public parks and recreation facilities
  • Salvation Army, Red Cross, CARE, Goodwill Industries, United Way, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, etc.
  • War veterans’ groups
  • Charitable organizations listed in IRS Publication 78
• 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

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

1. From within your return (Online or Desktop) click Federal. On smaller devices, click the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner, then select Federal
2. Click Itemized or Standard Deductions  in the Federal Quick Q&A Topics menu to expand the category, then click Charitable contributions
3. The program will proceed with the interview questions for you to enter your contribution information. If you need to make multiple entries for any of the contribution fields, click the menu button next to the entry box.
   

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" in the Date Acquired field.

Related Links

• Deductible Charitable Contributions and Gifts  
• IRS Publication 526 Charitable Contributions.