Charitable Contributions

When preparing to file your federal tax return, don’t forget your contributions to charitable organizations. If you made qualified donations last year – and you itemize on IRS Form 1040, Schedule A – these donations can have a nice impact on the outcome of your tax return.


Here are a few things to remember when gathering the information for your charitable deductions: 

  • Contributions must be made to qualified organizations to be deductible.

  • You cannot deduct contributions made to specific individuals, political organizations and candidates. And you cannot deduct the value of your time or services. Nor can you deduct the cost of raffles, bingo or other games of chance.

  • Expenses related specifically to a qualified charitable organization

    • Travel Expenses

      • Automobile Mileage ($0.14 a mile)

      • Airfare, Hotels, Rental Cars

      • Other items should be discussed with Rollins Financial to determine deductibility

    • Other Expenses as determined to be deductible

  • Be sure to keep donation receipts for both cash and non-cash donations. If you are making cash donations, you can keep track of them through a bank record, payroll deduction record or a written communication from the organization containing the name of the organization, the date of the contribution, amount of the contribution, and stating that no goods or services were received in exchange for the gift. For donations by text message, a telephone bill will meet the record-keeping requirement if it shows the name of the organization receiving your donation, the date of the contribution, and the amount given.

    • Vehicle Donations require Form 1098-C or written acknowledgment of the contribution including VIN number, vehicle's condition, and a qualified estimate

  • You can search for qualified charities by visiting the IRS website here. Search "Pub 78 Data" under the drop down box for "Select Database". You can also read IRS Publication 78 which can be found on IRS.gov.

And as always, if you have any other questions regarding your charitable deductions, please give us a call at 404-892-7967.