Donations to Haiti Tax Deductible for 2009 Returns

The IRS published new information this week on a law IR-2010-12 that allows donations to qualified U.S. charities for relief in Haiti may be deductible for you on your 2009 tax return.

This means that your donations made after January 11, 2010 and before March 1, 2010 specifically given to organizations providing relief work in Haiti after the earthquake, can be taken as contributions on you 2009 tax return due April 15, 2010 instead of waiting until next year.

Here are some additional items you will need to consider:

• You must itemize your deductions on your 2009 tax return on Schedule A in order
  to take the additional contributions on your return.
• The contributions must be made specifically for relief of those in affected areas
  by the January 12, 2009 Haiti earthquake.
• The contributions must be made to charities that qualify for contribution
  deductions. Gifts to specific individuals do not qualify as a tax deductible
  contribution. Contributions to foreign organizations are not generally
  deductible. You can visit www.irs.gov and use the keyword "Search for
  Charities" to see if a particular organization qualifies.
• Only cash contributions qualify for this provision. Cash contributions can be
  made by the text message options, writing a check to the organization, or using a
  debit or credit card to give cash to a qualifying organization.

This new law provision gives you the taxpayer, the option to take contributions made for relief efforts in Haiti on your 2009 tax return or to take them as you normally would on your 2010 tax return to be filed next April 2011.

IRS Publication 526 can provide you with more detailed information on Charitable Giving Contributions and can be found at the www.IRS.gov website.