From the Desk of Lauran L Stevenson
Defining Your Charitable Contributions
In recent years, there has been an influx of options available for charitable giving and gift giving to online groups or organizations. There are many examples of fundraising apps and websites where individuals, groups or charities can post and raise funds. However, there are certain donations that are not deductible as a charitable contribution. For example, if you donate to a site like GoFundMe, the site would most likely be considered a GoFundMe Personal campaign and the donation would be considered a personal gift, which is not tax-deductible. GoFundMe does provide “Certified Charity” Badges on campaigns that are guaranteed to be tax-deductible.
Charitable contributions that are tax-deductible include payments made to or for:
• Religious organizations
• Not-for-Profit schools and hospitals
• Other Not for Profit Organizations that have obtained a 501(c) tax exempt status
• Public Parks
• Out of pocket expenses that are acquired when serving as a volunteer to a qualified organization
Charitable contributions that are NOT tax-deductible include payments made to or for:
• Individuals
• Individual’s tuition
• For-Profit groups, which includes For-Profit hospitals and schools
• Professional Groups that have not obtained a 501(c) tax exempt status
• Private groups such as fraternal or sorietal orders, or fees or dues associated with these private groups