Not only does donating to a local charity or nonprofit feel good and help others, but your donations can also be a tax deduction. But before you donate, make sure you research the organization to see if it is, indeed, tax exempt.
The IRS makes it easy to check the status of various organizations to ensure that they are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Their tool, Tax Exempt Organization Search, allows users to research an organization, quickly and easily, using information like the organization’s name, Employee Identification Number, and location.
In addition to finding out whether an organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations, users can also see automatically revoked organizations (which happens if they don’t file their required Form 990-series for three years in a row), IRS determination letters that recognize the organization as tax exempt, and more. Doing good for others, getting rid of things you no longer need, and being eligible for a tax deduction? Sign us up!
* This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.
Tip adapted from IRS.gov[14]
[14] www.irs.gov/newsroom/tool-helps-donors-research-tax-exempt-organizations
