Is Giving to Charity Tax Deductible?

What Type of Donations are Accepted as a Tax Write Off?

There are many types of donations you can make to your chosen charity that will qualify for a tax write off. These include: 

• Cash—Whether a one time cash donation or on-going, sustaining gift.

• Stocks and bonds—Ownership transferred directly to the organization or via a memorial gift.
• Food—Food banks and food pantries will accept your donations. Contact them or visit their website to learn what they need most urgently.
• Clothing, appliances and other household items—Clean, gently used clothing, working appliances, and other household items such as dishes, glassware, silverware and more.
• Cars, boats, and airplanes—Charities will benefit greatly from these types of generous donations. They may sell the item, use it for their operations, gift it to someone in need, or recycle it.
• Patents, copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights—Charitable organizations that receive intellectual property can license it themselves, sell it, develop it and use it, or partner with another organization to commercialize it.
• Business inventory—A charity that receives business inventory may choose to sell it for cash, distribute it to those in need, use it for their own fundraising efforts or donate it to other nonprofit organizations.
• Jewelry, coins, or stamp collections—Donations of jewelry, coins, or collections can prove highly valuable for a charity if they choose to sell the items.
• Real estate and land—A charitable organization may choose to develop real estate or land for their organization, distribute it to those in need, or utilize it for expanding their work in a community.
• Mileage when volunteering—When you volunteer your time at an organization, you are allowed to deduct 14 cents per mile if you drive your car to the site to perform your volunteer service.