Are charitable donations tax deductible?

A charitable donation is a gift of money or goods to a tax-exempt organization that can reduce your taxable income. To claim a deduction for charitable donations on your taxes, you must have donated to an IRS-recognized charity and received nothing in return for your gift. Donated to a friend's GoFundMe? That is typically not tax-deductible.

How do I get a charitable deduction?

To get the charitable deduction, you usually have to itemize your taxes. You must make contributions to a qualified tax-exempt organization. You must have documentation for cash donations of more than $250. You must have written appraisals for noncash donations of more than $5,000.

Can I claim a charitable donation on my taxes?

Generally, you can claim a charitable donation on your taxes only if you itemize your deductions. If your itemized deductions are greater than the standard deduction for your filing status, you should elect to itemize to reduce your taxes. For the 2022 tax year (meaning the taxes you’ll file in 2023), the standard deduction amounts are: