(WSLS 10) - Gift-giving is part of the fabric of the holiday season and many use this time of year to give to charities.
Aside from the good feelings charitable giving can bring, tax benefits are another reason many give at the end of the year. To get the most from your charitable giving, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shared some end-of-the-year tax tips.
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Make sure you're giving to qualified charities. You can only deduct gifts you give to qualified charities. Use the IRS Select Check tool to see if the group you give to is qualified.
Get a receipt for donations of household goods. Household items include furniture, furnishings, electronics, appliances and linens. If you donate clothing and household items to charity they need to be in at least good used condition to claim a tax deduction.
Timing of your donation counts. You can deduct contributions in the year you make them. If you charge your gift to a credit card before the end of the year it will count for 2014. This is true even if you don't pay the credit card bill until 2015. Also, a check will count for 2014 as long as you mail it in 2014.
Special rules may apply to some donations. If you donate a car, boat or airplane to charity, some special guidelines may apply.
