Animal Shelter help Tax Deductible?

Question

I shoot videos for a local animal shelter, for free, to help their pets get adopted (they post the videos on their website). Is this type of work tax deductible for my business?

Answer 1

Hello, qbzepol! You do not get any deduction for the value of your time/services, but you can deduct any actual expenses that you pay as part of this volunteer work. You can also deduct your actual transportation costs, or just deduct your volunteer mileage at $0.14/mile. Charitable contributions & expenses are reported on 1040, Schedule A.

You mentioned "for my business;" business charitable contributions are also generally deductible. The links below give more info. Good luck, and props for volunteering your time! :-)

Answer 2

If they are a 501(c)3 organization (check with them, they'll have the paperwork if they are) then you can deduct out of pocket expenses. You don't get a deduction for your time, or for what the commercial value of the videos would be. It's a charitable deduction.

Answer 3

You do not get a deduction for volunteer work. The only deductible portion is your out-of-pocket expenses in providing that work and charitable miles driven. And that only works if your total itemized deductions are more than the standard deduction. Sorry.

Answer 4

No. maximum folk do no longer. It in simple terms makes economic experience to itemize if the entire of all your deductions provides as much as extra suitable than the common deduction that the IRS facilitates actually everyone to take immediately.

Answer 5

Topic 506 - Contributions
Charitable contributions are deductible only if you itemize deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A (PDF).

To be deductible, charitable contributions must be made to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations include, but are not limited to, Federal, state, and local governments and organizations organized and operated only for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, or literary purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. Organizations can tell you if they are qualified and if donations to them are deductible.

If your contribution entitles you to merchandise, goods, or services, including admission to a charity ball, banquet, theatrical performance, or sporting event, you can deduct only the amount that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit received.

For a contribution of $250 or more, you can claim a deduction only if you obtain a written acknowledgment from the qualified organization. You generally can deduct your cash contributions as well as the fair market value of any property you donate to qualified organizations. The fair market value of most household or personal items is generally much less than the price paid when new. You should claim only what the item would sell for at a garage sale, a flea market, or a second hand or thrift store. You must fill out Form 8283 (PDF) Section A, if your total deduction for all noncash contributions is more than $500. If you make a contribution of noncash property worth more than $5,000, generally an appraisal must be done. In that case, you must also fill out Form 8283 Section B. Attach Form 8283 to your return. For more information on this requirement, refer to Publication 526.

Generally, if property you contribute increased in value while you owned it, you may not be able to deduct its full value. Refer to Publication 526. You may have to make an additional computation which includes the property's cost to determine the deductible amount of your contribution.

Contributions you cannot deduct at all include contributions made to specific individuals, political organizations and candidates, the value of your time or services and the cost of raffles, bingo, or other games of chance. You cannot deduct contributions that you give to qualified organizations if, as a result, you receive or expect to receive a financial or economic benefit equal to the contribution.

Although you cannot deduct the value of your time or services, you can deduct the expenses you incur while donating your services to a qualified organization. If the expenses are for travel, which may include transportation and meals and lodging while away from home, they may be deducted only if there is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel. Actual costs of gas and oil can be deducted, or you can choose to take 14 cents per mile for using your own car.

Deductions for contributions in excess of 20% of your adjusted gross income may be limited depending on the type of property or the type of organization the donation is contributed to.

For more information, refer to Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, and for information on determining value, refer to Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property.

Answer 6

It is if the shelter provides you with a tax reciept.
Probably what you need to do is issue them an invoice for services that states a fee but notes that it is a donation.
The shelter then, if it has charity status and can issue tax receipts, can write you one for the amount you billed but forgave / donated.
Thank you for your efforts, I am sure they are greatly appreciated and it would be great if more people "helped those who can not speak for themselves"!!! Especially here in Barbados.