It’s the season of giving, the time of year when do-gooders get generous and tax pros occasionally get creative. That’s because donations to charities and other types of nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible.
Historically, though, most taxpayers don’t receive a tax break for their charitable giving. Other than for a brief period under Covid-19 relief legislation, taxpayers have generally had to itemize to take advantage of the deduction, but about 9 in 10 people take the standard deduction instead, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
But the rules around charitable deductions are changing. A provision in President Donald Trump’s so-called “big beautiful” bill, which passed in July, allows taxpayers who don’t itemize to deduct up to $1,000 for single filers and up to $2,000 for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2026.
So, for people thinking about writing a check to their favorite charity, it may make more sense, tax-wise, to wait until January to send it in, says Miklos Ringbauer, a certified public accountant and founder of accounting firm MiklosCPA.
“First and foremost, if they love to give, please give,” he says. “But if they are making a strategic move, and they’re not going to itemize for sure for 2026 tax year purposes, doing the charitable donation in 2026 does give them a benefit.”
