Sometimes it seems cold and heartless to think about money and tax deductions. With hundreds of thousands dead and untold masses homeless, not to mention a country destroyed, this can seem like one of those times.
On the other hand, when people choose to open their hearts and give money to help those in need, the U.S. Government thanks them in the form of the charitable tax deduction. Typically, donations to charity must be made by the end of the tax year, December 31st, in order to be deductible in that year. However, with the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti, Congress passed a law and the IRS implemented an exception to the rules for certain cash contributions for Haiti Relief.
In order to qualify, the donations must be considered “cash” donations (checks and wire transfers, and so on do count as cash). They must also be made to a qualified organization, typically a non-profit 503(c) organization in most cases. The donations must also satisfy all other normal requirements for deducting cash gifts to charities.
The deadline for making a cash donation for Haiti relief and being able to deduct it on your 2009 Federal Income Taxes is March 1, 2010 (today).
If you already made a donation, you can deduct it from your income taxes as well.
Unfortunately, one of the requirements for taking a tax deduction for a cash contribution to a charity is retaining proof of the contribution, most often, in the form of a receipt. However, in the aftermath of the Haiti tragedy, numerous new methods of making quick and easy donations to relief organization were created, including the ability to donate via text message.
A live television show broadcast nationwide ran numerous donation options across the bottom of the screen during the Haiti Relief telethon, including the option to donate $10 via text message. The $10 donation was then added to the phone bill of those who sent such a text.
Fortunately, the IRS has clarified that a phone bill from your cell phone company or other telecom provider will satisfy the record of proof requirement. This 2009 tax trick is particularly helpful for those of us who made donations upon seeing the devistation without pausing to think about the tax implications.
Be sure to hold on to your phone bill, however, for your records. If you follow smart financial advice about paying your bills automatically and opt-in for electronic statement delivery as one way to help prevent identity theft, then you need to log on to your account and print out the electronic statement to ensure that you have a printed record of your donation.
