At year-end, taxpayers are often looking for ways to make charitable gifts to whittle down taxable income and save dollars come tax time. This year, it’s even easier: there’s an above-the-line charitable donation deduction in 2020 which means that you can benefit from a charitable giving even if you don’t itemize your deductions.
Others may be seeking good causes to support – even without a tax deduction. Either way, you’re in luck: it’s time for the annual 12 Days Of Charitable Giving.
Rules For Nominations
As I do every year, I’m accepting nominations for the 12 Days Of Charitable Giving. You can nominate any organization recognized as charitable under section 501(c)(3) of the Tax Code. Examples include schools, libraries, and purely public charities like the American Red Cross.
The charity must be in good standing: check to make sure that tax-exempt status hasn’t lapsed or expired. You can confirm charitable status by using the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS’) online tool, the Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS). Additionally, most charities will post evidence of tax-exempt status on their website.
Your nomination should include the name of the charity and what the charity does. Be sure to share why your favorite charity deserves a mention. Anecdotes are great, as are links to stories in the press. Please also link to the organization’s website, Facebook page, or YouTube channel: the more information that you can provide, the better.
How To Nominate
Send your nomination via email (12days@taxgirl.com) and put “12 Days” in the subject header.
The deadline for submissions is December 4, 2020.
I’ll review the nominations and select one charitable organization to feature for each of 12 days in December – with some tax tips for charitable giving mixed in (of course). It’s a great way to give your favorite charity some exposure in a year where many of them could use a boost. And to make it even better this year, I pledge to make a donation to one of the named charities.
2019 Charities
For a little inspiration, here’s the complete 12 Days of Charitable Giving list from 2019:
- The Elephant Sanctuary
- MEANS Database
- Pets In Need
- Food To The Rescue
- The Trevor Project
- Literacy For Incarcerated Teens
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- The Garden Conservatory
- 13thirty
- The Sunday Love Project
- Hands Up For Haiti
- Legal Aid of North Carolina
