It’s tax preparation time. You may want to get those charitable donation records in order to claim your tax deduction. If you itemize deductions, you can claim your gift to the qualified charitable organization using Schedule A that is attached to your Form 1040. Here are some important things to consider:
If you donated cash get copies of your cancelled checks, credit card or bank statements. If you have donated stocks to charity, you need to submit all your records to the tax preparer. If you have donated more than $250, you may need a receipt from the charity including your non-profit religious organization. Make sure it is a 501 (c) (3) designated charitable organization under the IRS Code.
If you donated non-cash items such as vehicles, household items, office furniture, cloths and other like items to a charity, make sure they are in good condition and obtain a receipt from the charity. If you are doing your taxes using one of the popular tax preparation software, use available tables to figure out the value of the items donated.
If you donated your time to a charity, you can deduct the mileage you drove for the charity.