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You must itemize to claim the charitable deduction
When filing your return, you reduce your taxable income by subtracting the greater of either the standard deduction or your total itemized deductions — which may include charitable donations.
Former President Donald Trump‘s signature 2017 tax overhaul nearly doubled the standard deduction, making filers less likely to itemize.
For 2022, the standard deduction is $12,950 for single filers or $25,900 for married couples filing together. And if you take the standard deduction in 2022, you can’t claim an itemized write-off for charitable gifts.
Aim to give profitable assets
If you expect to itemize deductions, your charitable write-off depends on the type of asset you donate.
Juan Ros, a CFP at Forum Financial Management in Thousand Oaks, California, said profitable investments in a taxable brokerage account are “generally the best type of asset to give.”
Here’s why: By donating an appreciated asset, you’ll receive a charitable deduction equal to the fair market …