IRS Information for Donors to the Mary Mother of God Mission Society

Schedule A – Itemized Deductions

This information comes from IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions.  The entire publication can be found online at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/index.html.

On your tax form, Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, you can deduct cash and non-cash gifts to “qualified organizations.”  Because the Mary Mother of God Mission Society has filed the correct paperwork to the IRS and has been approved as a 501(c)(3), it is a qualified organization, and your donations are deductible.

Donating Your Services—What you cannot deduct:

·         If you do volunteer work for the mission society, you cannot deduct the value of your donated time or services.

·         If you hire a babysitter to watch your children while you do volunteer work for the mission society, you cannot deduct the payments to the babysitter.

·         If you serve as a mission society representative at a meeting or convention and bring other family members, you cannot deduct their travel, meals, lodging, or other expenses.

·         If you donate your time, you cannot deduct the value of income lost while you work as an unpaid volunteer.

·         You cannot deduct expenses you paid for another person to provide their services to the mission society. 

Donating Your Services—What you can deduct:

·         If you volunteer your time or services, you can deduct expenses that you had only because you served as a volunteer.  These include travel expenses, airfare, parking fees, reasonable costs for meals and lodging, and taxi or bus fares.  To deduct car expenses, you can deduct the actual costs of gas and oil used while you donated your services, or you can use the standard mileage rate of 14 cents per mile.

Donating Cash or Gifts—What you cannot deduct:

·         If you give money or gifts to a clergy member or religious to spend as he or she wishes for personal expenses, you cannot deduct the value of the gift.

·         If you pay a hospital or clinic for the care of a specific patient, you cannot deduct that payment.

·         If you contribute to the mission society and specify that the contribution should go to help a specific individual, you cannot deduct this contribution. 

·         If you buy raffle tickets, bingo cards, lottery tickets, or similar items related to games of chance, but which are for the benefit of the mission society, you cannot deduct the amount you paid for these items.

Donating Cash or Gifts—What you can deduct:

·         You can deduct most gifts of money or property to churches and other religious organizations

·         If you contribute property or gifts to the mission society, you can deduct the fair market value of these items.  You may be liable for a penalty if you overstate the value of the donated property.

·         If you contribute to help needy or worthy individuals, without naming a specific recipient or recipients, you can deduct this contribution.