Federal Limit on Deductible Charitable Contributions

Below is the limit on deductible charitable contributions. If your total charitable contributions for the year are 20% or less of your adjusted gross income then your tax deduction is not limited.

What are the limits on deductible charitable donations?

The tax deduction amount may be limited to 20%, 30% or 50% of your adjusted gross income depending on the property given and the type of organization you give it to.

50% Limit

For the 50% limit, the total of all charitable contributions you make during the year cannot be more than 50% of your AGI for the year. This limit applies to gifts to many charitable organizations. The organization itself can tell you whether it has a 50% limit. Some 50% limit organizations include churches, educational organizations, hospitals, certain medical research organizations, publicly supported charities and private operating foundations.

30% Limit

The 30% limit applies to gifts of capital gain property to 50% limit organizations for which you figure your deduction using fair market value without reduction for appreciation. It also applies to gifts other than capital gain property for the use of any organization and gifts other than capital gain property to all qualified organizations other than 50% limit organizations (such as veterans' organizations, fraternal societies, and nonprofit cemeteries).

20% Limit

The 20% limit applies to all gifts of capital gain property to or for the use of qualified organizations other than gifts of capital gain property to 50% limit organizations.

How to carry over excess charitable donations?

You can carry over the contributions that exceed your AGI limit and apply the excess until it is used up in each of the next 5 years but not beyond that time.