We are always encouraging people to volunteer their time to help their church or other nonprofit organizations. Shouldn’t people who do volunteer work be provided with a tax deduction to compensate them for their donation of time? Under current law, volunteers are prohibited from taking a charitable contribution deduction for the value of the services they provided to charities. However, the tax code does support volunteer work for charitable organizations by allowing volunteers to take a charitable contribution deduction for expenses they incur in connection with their volunteer services, but the expenses must be ones the charity would otherwise have to incur, not personal expenses of the volunteer. For example, volunteers may deduct the cost of materials they donate for use in repairs to a church, supplies they use in leading activities at a day care center, or uniforms they wear when serving as nurses’ aides. However, volunteers may not deduct personal expenses such as meals eaten during a break in a local service project, transportation to and from a school where they donate their time, or child care expenses. For 2010, you can also use a “standard mileage rate” of 14 cents to compute a deduction for any miles you drive in donating services to your church or other nonprofit organizations. Example: Several church members go on a short-term mission trip. The value of their labor is not deductible. However, they can deduct their unreimbursed travel expenses (air fare, transportation, lodging, meals) and other direct related expenses. Example: A church pastor and his spouse travel to a church convention in another city. The convention offers the pastor significant church-related activities, such as participating in meetings, workshops, lectures and exhibits. The spouse is not an employee of the church and volunteers her time in a variety of events at the convention. Her unreimbursed travel, lodging and meal expense (but not the contribution of time) can be deducted as a charitable contribution. Salvation Army – Donation Value Guide Goodwill – Donation Value Guide Frequently Asked Questions When I make a charitable contribution, is that contribution tax-deductible? Absolutely! Every qualified charity with a 501(c)(3) non-profit status from the IRS — and that means every donation you give counts as a tax-deductible donation. I want my giving to be deductible for this tax year. Do I need to make a donation by a certain time? Yes. Any donation you made on or by midnight December 31, 2010 will qualify as a deduction for 2010. Any donations made in 2010 (even at 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s Day) go towards the 2010 tax year. So if you’re looking for a tax benefit for this year, you’ll want to make that donation before December 31, 2010. Do I need to itemize my tax return to get a deduction for charitable giving? Yes, you do. Donations are only tax-deductible if you itemize deductions on your tax return. When you file your taxes, you’ll need to itemize your donations on the Schedule A of the 1040 form. Is it worth the time and effort to itemize just to get a deduction for charitable giving? The answer to that varies from person to person and is subject to phase outs at higher income levels. There are also other items that are included in this amount such as including interest on a home mortgage, medical expenses and ministry or business expenses that exceed certain base amounts, state taxes withheld, and real estate taxes paid. Your charitable donations in the form of cash and volunteer mileage may help to lower your tax liability. As with any major tax decision, confer with your own tax or financial advisor so you’re sure you get the most out of all your deductions. How much can I legally deduct on my taxes for charitable contributions? You can only deduct the amount of a contribution given voluntarily, with no expectation of a commensurate return. Generally speaking, you may deduct up to 50% of your aggregate gross income — half of your total income, subject to income phase-outs. There are some specific types of donations (such as gifts of stock, or donations to certain types of organizations) that have lower percentage ceilings. Additionally, if you receive a financial or economic benefit in return for making a gift, the payment is not a deductible charitable contribution except to the extent that it exceeds the fair market value of the benefit. For example, if you gave $100 to a museum and received a book in return that sells regularly for $25, you can claim $75 as a charitable deduction. Source: https://www.clergyfinancial.com/

Clergy Financial Resources serves as a resource for clients to help analyze the complexity of clergy tax law, church payroll & HR issues. Our professionals are committed to helping clients stay informed about tax news, developments and trends in various specialty areas.

This article is intended to provide readers with guidance in tax matters. The article does not constitute, and should not be treated as professional advice regarding the use of any particular tax technique. Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information. Clergy Financial Resources and the author do not assume responsibility for any individual’s reliance upon the information provided in the article. Readers should independently verify all information before applying it to a particular fact situation, and should independently determine the impact of any particular tax planning technique. If you are seeking legal advice, you are encouraged to consult an attorney.

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