Tax Deductions and Credits Volunteering This Summer? Find Out if Your Work is Tax Deductible Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by Elle Martinez Published Apr 24, 2024 2 min read Reviewed by Lena Hanna, CPA Besides donating money, one of the best ways you can support a worthy cause is to volunteer. Many organizations are limited by what they can do because they don’t have the support staff and leaders to help them grow. Through volunteer work, you can lend your expertise or learn a new skill while assisting others. While it’s probably not the only reason you would want to volunteer, there are certainly some tax advantages to having a big heart. Did you know that in addition to donated funds and goods, some of your volunteer work-related expenses may be tax deductible? Making Sure You’re Getting the Most of Your Volunteer Work Before you start keeping tabs on your expenses, check to see if the organization is a qualified charitable organization and recognized by the IRS. While you can still do plenty of good work, the organization does have to meet certain qualifications in order for you to get the tax benefits. Once you verify the organization is qualified, here are a few major tax-deductible expenses : Transportation/Travel: If you have to drive or take public transportation for your volunteer work, that may be tax deductible. You can either keep meticulous track of your gas spending driving back and forth to where you’re volunteering, or you can use the $0.14 per mile allowed by the IRS. If you have to pay for parking and it’s related to your volunteer work, you may be able to deduct that too. Your regular car maintenance and insurance coverage, however, are not tax deductible when volunteering. Uniforms: If you are required to wear a uniform for the volunteer work, you may be able to deduct that purchase as well as its upkeep. However, it also must not be something you can use every day (think of a t-shirt with a logo). Supplies: If you are providing supplies (maybe office paper and printer ink for the organization’s reports or construction material for a building project), then you may be able to claim them. Just make sure they are exclusively used for the charity. It is important to note that if you get reimbursed from the organization for any of your expenses, you can not take a tax deduction. In addition, in order to claim these tax deductions, you need to itemize your deductions. And, like with any tax deduction, always keep good records! Don’t worry about knowing these tax deductions. No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed. Get started I’d love to hear from you. What causes are near and dear to your heart? How did you get started? Previous Post Your Summer Travel Can Save You at Tax Time Next Post Should I Amend My Tax Return for A Small Amount? Written by Elle Martinez Elle helps families at Couple Money achieve financial freedom by sharing tips for reducing debt, increase income, and building net worth. Learn how to live on one income and have fun with the second. More from Elle Martinez Visit the website of Elle Martinez. Follow Elle Martinez on Facebook. Follow Elle Martinez on Twitter. Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Tax Deductions and Credits How Does Volunteering for a Charity Affect My Taxes? Tax Deductions and Credits Is This Deductible? My Volunteer Work Tax Deductions and Credits Tax Tips if You Traveled for Charity Work This Summer Tax Deductions and Credits Are You a PTA Parent? That Volunteering May Just Pay Of… Tax Deductions and Credits Deducting Travel Expenses When Doing Charitable Work Tax Deductions and Credits Save with a New Tax Relief Donation Law and Holiday Giv… Tax Deductions and Credits Tax Deductions And Credits You Can’t Claim On You… Tax Deductions and Credits Donating to Charity & Taxes: An Intro Guide Tax Deductions and Credits Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Donations and Tax Deduct… Tax Deductions and Credits Are Political Donations Tax Deductible? Rules Around Co…