7 Tips for deducting charitable contributions from your income

Pay attention to the following points while claiming deductions for charitable contributions:

1. You can claim charitable contributions as deduction if you take the option of itemizing your tax deductions. So people going for standard deduction cannot claim these contributions.

2. You must make your contribution to an organization which holds a tax-exempt status. Usually the charities will inform you whether they have a tax exempt status under 501(c)(3).

3. You must keep appropriate records to claim the amount of the contribution you made during the year. These include bank statements, canceled checks, credit card statements, the receipts from the qualified organizations and a pay stub if you make a contribution by payroll deduction. For cash contributions, you must have such a record irrespective of the amount of contribution.

4. You should know about the overall limits for making charitable contributions during a year. There is an overall limit of 50 per cent on all the charitable contributions you made during the year.

5. If you receive any benefit from the contribution you made, you have to reduce the amount of contribution by fair market value of this benefit. So if you pay $100 to attend a lunch organized by a church and if the fair market value of such lunch is $25, then you can deduct only $75 as you are charitable contribution.

6. If your non cash contributions exceed $500, you must attach Form 8283 with your return of income. If your non cash contributions exceed $5000, you must get an appraisal of the property in writing to decide on the fair market value of the property.

7. If you hold an IRA and have reached the age of 70 ½, you can make a contribution up to $100,000 out of your IRA. Such a contribution can count for your required minimum distribution (RMD) and not included in the taxable income also. If you want your income should not get affected by the distribution, this is a preferred alternative. This money cannot go to public charities which are supporting other public charities. The money cannot go to donor- advised funds also. You are not allowed to receive anything in return for making such donation.