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What Changed for Charitable Giving in 2026 (and What It Means for Retirees)

Josh Rendler, CFP®

Creator of Motion Retirement

Updated 2026-10-12 · Tax year 2026 · Figures checked October 10, 2026 · How this is checked

What changed for charitable deductions in 2026?

Four things changed, starting with 2026 returns. If you take the standard deduction (the flat amount most people can subtract from income without listing costs), you can now deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts ($2,000 joint). The cash has to go straight to a public charity (a charity like a church, school or hospital that gets the best tax treatment for gifts), not to a donor-advised fund. If you itemize (costs like charity gifts you list one by one on your return instead of the flat amount), the first 0.5% of AGI (your total income minus a few set subtractions, the number many tax rules start from) in gifts doesn't count. In the 37% bracket, a deducted dollar fully hit by a new trim saves about 35 cents. And the 60% of AGI cap on cash gifts no longer ends.

  • If you take the standard deduction, 2026 adds a deduction for cash given straight to a public charity. It's up to $1,000, or $2,000 on a joint return. There was nothing like it in 2025.
  • Gifts to a donor-advised fund (a giving account at a charity that holds your gifts until you pick where they go), gifts of stock, and gifts to most private foundations (a charity funded mostly by one person, family or company, not a public charity) don't count toward that new deduction.
  • If you itemize, only gifts above 0.5% of AGI count from 2026 on. In most years, the part lost to that floor is gone for good.
  • In the 37% bracket, itemized deductions are trimmed. Each dollar fully hit saves about 35 cents instead of 37. The 60% of AGI cap on cash gifts is now permanent.
  • A QCD (money sent straight from your IRA to a charity at 70½ or older, not taxed as income, up to a yearly limit) sits outside all of this. It's left out of income, not deducted. So by my reading of how the rules are written, the floor, the non-itemizer cap and the top-bracket trim don't shrink it.
Jump to a question

The 2025 tax law made four changes to charitable deductions. They start with 2026 tax returns. Two of them help you. Two of them cost you. The law is often called the OBBBA (the big 2025 tax law that changed charity giving rules starting in 2026).

Which ones touch you comes down to one question: do you itemize? So this page is split that way. The last part covers gifts straight from an IRA. By my reading, those sit outside all of it. For the basic rules, start with the charitable deductions guide.

Change 2025 2026 Who it affects
Cash deduction without itemizing None Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234 People who take the standard deduction
Floor on itemized gifts None From 2026, itemized gifts count only above 0.5% of AGI.567 Everyone who itemizes gifts
Top-bracket trim None From 2026, a 2/37 trim in the 37% bracket, so a fully hit dollar saves about 35 cents.89 Itemizers whose taxable income reaches the 37% bracket before deductions come off
Cap on cash gifts to public charities 60% of AGI, with an end date 60% of AGI, no end date Very large cash givers

If you take the standard deduction

You get one new benefit in 2026. It’s a small deduction for cash gifts, on top of the standard deduction.

What is the standard deduction for 2026?

In 2026, the standard deduction is $32,20010 for a married couple filing jointly and $16,10010 for a single filer. Each married spouse 65 or older adds $1,65010. A single person 65 or older adds $2,05010, unless they are a surviving spouse.

A head of household gets $24,15010.10

Do seniors 65 or older get a higher standard deduction?

Yes. Each person 65 or older adds an extra amount on top of the amounts just above.

One filing status works differently. It’s called qualifying surviving spouse. That filer adds $1,65010, not the single amount. They also use the joint base amount of $32,20010.10

A surviving spouse who hasn’t remarried by year end can file jointly for the year of death.11 That’s the last year they can file jointly with that spouse.11 Joint rates for the next two years need a child or stepchild you can claim as a dependent.11

So a married couple who are both 65 or older start at $35,500.

That number decides who itemizes. Which one you take changes your taxable income (the part of your income that tax rates are actually charged on). It doesn’t change your AGI, the starting point for the income Medicare uses for its extra charge, IRMAA (an extra Medicare charge you pay when your income is above a set line).

To deduct a gift the usual way, you must itemize on Schedule A.12 You get either your itemized deductions or the standard deduction, not both.13 Itemized deductions lower your taxable income, but not your AGI.1415 So they don’t lower measures built on AGI, like the income used for IRMAA.15

If your gift is cash straight to a public charity, itemizing also costs you the new cash deduction. By my reading, your itemized list then has to beat your standard deduction plus that amount.1

Can you claim charitable donations without itemizing in 2026?

Yes. Starting in 2026, cash gifts count even if you take the standard deduction. It’s called the non-itemizer charitable deduction (a 2026 deduction for cash gifts to charity, even if you skip itemizing). It covers cash gifts. Gifts of property (anything you own other than cash, such as stock or a fund, not just a house), leftover carryovers (the part of a gift too big to deduct this year, saved for up to five later years), and gifts to a supporting organization (a charity set up to help one or more specific public charities) are left out.

From 2026, if you don’t itemize, you can deduct up to $1,0001 of cash gifts, or $2,0001 on a joint return.1 The cash must go to a public charity, or one of a few special foundations, not a donor-advised fund or a supporting organization.23 Gifts of stock or other property don’t count, and neither do carryovers from earlier years.2 It lowers your taxable income, but not your AGI.4

The law applies it to any year you don’t itemize. It has no end date.16

On the draft 2026 Form 1040, it has its own line, 12f. That line sits right below the line for the standard deduction.17 It’s a draft, so it’s worth checking the final form.

What is the new $2,000 charitable deduction?

It’s this same deduction. $2,0001 is the cap on a joint return.

A public charity means a church, school or hospital, for example. Most private foundations are not one. A few special kinds of foundation are.18 A supporting organization doesn’t count either.

The 0.5% floor (a 2026 rule: the first sliver of your charity gifts, half a percent of income, is not deductible) below doesn’t apply to this deduction.2

Do gifts to a donor-advised fund count if you don’t itemize?

No. Cash given to a donor-advised fund (DAF) doesn’t count.

Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234

If you itemize, a DAF gift follows the normal rules. See donor-advised funds.

Does the non-itemizer deduction lower AGI?

No. It comes off after AGI is figured. Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234

That matters for retirees. AGI is the starting point for Medicare’s extra charge, called IRMAA. It’s also the start for how much of your Social Security is taxed. Taxable income isn’t.

IRMAA uses your AGI plus tax-exempt interest.19 It generally uses the return from two years earlier, so 2026 premiums use 2024 returns.2019 Each person on Medicare whose income is above the line for their filing status pays it.21

To test whether your Social Security is taxed, add half your benefits to your other income, including tax-exempt interest.2223 That test starts from AGI, so income left out of AGI, like a QCD, doesn’t count.23 Above a base amount, up to 50% of benefits can be taxed, and up to 85% above a higher one.22

Who gets the extra $6,000 senior deduction?

You get it if you’re 65 or older by the end of the year. It’s called the senior deduction (an extra deduction for people 65 and older from 2025 through 2028).

For 2025 through 2028, each person 65 or older by year end gets an extra $6,00024 deduction.2425 You get it whether or not you itemize.24 Married couples must file jointly, and each person needs a Social Security number on the return.25 It shrinks by $624% of modified AGI above $75,00024, or $150,00024 on a joint return.24 On a joint return, the cut comes off each spouse’s amount, so a couple who both qualify lose $120 per $1,000 over.26

A January 1 birthday counts for the year before. You’re treated as reaching 65 the day before your birthday.27 The cut can’t take the deduction below zero. By my math, it’s gone once income is $100,000 past the limit.

The income it uses is modified adjusted gross income (your AGI with a few things added back, used by rules like Medicare's charge). Here, that’s AGI plus a few foreign income amounts.25 So money that never enters AGI doesn’t count against it. A gift straight from an IRA at 70½ or older is one example. See the QCD guide.

It isn’t a charity rule. But it’s part of why AGI matters to givers in their late 60s and 70s.

If you itemize

Do your itemized deductions beat the standard deduction? Then three things changed in 2026.

Itemized, so it lowers taxable income but not AGI.12131514

If your gift is cash straight to a public charity, itemizing costs you the new cash deduction. A gift of stock, or a gift to a DAF, costs you none of it.2

On the draft 2026 Schedule A, gifts now run through a new worksheet first. It’s called the “Charitable Contribution Limitation Worksheet.” Gifts from earlier years go on their own line.28

What is the 0.5% AGI floor for charitable deductions in 2026?

The first slice of your giving each year gives you no deduction.

From 2026, if you itemize, your gifts count only above 0.5% of your AGI.5 By my reading, the floor comes off after the yearly AGI caps.6 It comes off in a set order, starting with gifts under the 20% cap and ending with cash to public charities.7

The yearly caps and the 0.5% floor are shares of your AGI, figured without any net operating loss carryback.29 So a lower AGI also lowers the caps.29

Worked example · tax year 2026The 0.5% floor on $200,000 of AGI
Assumptions
  • Married couple filing jointly who itemize.
  • AGI is $200,000.
  • They give $10,000 in cash to public charities. They have enough other itemized deductions, such as mortgage interest and state taxes, to itemize.
  • Federal only. The 0.5% floor is the only limit that applies; $10,000 is well under the 60% cash limit.
  • The floor is figured from AGI. The senior deduction comes off after AGI, so it doesn't change the floor.
Step Amount
Cash gifts $10,000
Floor (0.5% × $200,000) −$1,000
Deductible charitable gifts $9,000
AGI Floor (0.5%) Gifts of $10,000: deductible amount
$100,000 $500 $9,500
$200,000 $1,000 $9,000
$250,000 $1,250 $8,750
$500,000 $2,500 $7,500

Does the amount lost to the floor carry forward?

Usually not. Big gifts over a yearly cap can be used in later years. That leftover is called a carryover.

Gifts over a yearly cap can be deducted in the next five years, but not after that.30 In those years, they generally keep the same cap.30 Within each kind of gift, new gifts are used before carryovers, and older carryovers before newer ones.31 Qualified conservation gifts get 15 years instead of five.32

Gifts lost to the 0.5% floor carry over only from a year when gifts went over a yearly AGI cap.33 Even then, only the floor amount tied to the kind of gift that went over joins the carryover.34 Otherwise, the amount lost to the floor is gone.33

In a normal year, with gifts well under the caps, the floor amount is just lost. The carryforwards page shows a year when it does carry.

For CPAs and attorneysFloor ordering across gift categories

Under § 170(b)(1)(I), the floor is taken into account against contributions in this order: (1) § 170(b)(1)(D) 20% capital gain property gifts, (2) § 170(b)(1)(C) 30% capital gain property gifts, (3) § 170(b)(1)(B) 30% gifts, (4) § 170(b)(1)(E) qualified conservation contributions, (5) § 170(b)(1)(A) 50% gifts, and (6) § 170(b)(1)(G) 60% cash gifts last.7 The floor applies to contributions “otherwise allowable (without regard to this subparagraph),” which we read as the amount left after the percentage limits.6 Under § 170(d)(1)(C), a carryover is increased only by the floor-disallowed amount attributable to the category whose limit was exceeded.34

How does the 35% cap work in the 37% bracket?

Your itemized deductions get trimmed if your income reaches the 37% bracket. This is the 2/37 limitation (a 2026 rule that trims deductions for people in the top tax bracket).

From 2026, itemized deductions are trimmed if your income reaches the 37% bracket.8 The trim is 2/37 of the smaller of two amounts: those deductions, or your income above where that bracket starts.8 That income is counted before itemized deductions come off.9 The trim comes after every other limit, so each dollar fully hit saves about 35 cents.98

The law never says “35%.” That number is my math from the 2/37 rule. It’s why people call this a “35% cap.”

Worked example · tax year 2026The top-bracket trim in two cases
Assumptions
  • Itemized deductions after the 0.5% floor and AGI limits: $100,000 (mostly charitable).
  • Case 1: taxable income, with itemized deductions added back, is $300,000 above the start of the 37% bracket.
  • Case 2: the same measure is only $20,000 above the start of the 37% bracket.
  • Case 1 only: every deducted dollar would otherwise be taxed at 37%, because the income measure is far into the 37% bracket. Federal only.
  • Income this far up is well past the point where the senior deduction is fully phased out.

Case 1: deep in the 37% bracket

Step Amount
Itemized deductions $100,000
Income above the 37% threshold (with deductions added back) $300,000
Smaller of the two $100,000
Reduction: 2/37 × $100,000 $5,405.41
Allowed itemized deductions $94,594.59
Tax saved at 37% (37% × $94,594.59) $35,000.00
Tax saved per dollar of itemized deductions about $0.35

Case 2: just over the threshold

Step Amount
Itemized deductions $100,000
Income above the 37% threshold (with deductions added back) $20,000
Smaller of the two $20,000
Reduction: 2/37 × $20,000 $1,081.08
Allowed itemized deductions $98,918.92

In Case 2, most of the deduction offsets income taxed below 37%. So the trim only reaches the slice of income in the top bracket.

Few retirees are in the 37% bracket every year. But some reach it once. It might be the year a business or a rental home sells. It might be the year of a large Roth conversion. That’s often the same year a large gift is planned. See Roth conversions and carryforwards.

Is the 60% cash limit permanent?

Yes.

The yearly caps are set out in full on the stock gifts page.

Before 2026, the 60% cap was set to end after 2025. Without the change, cash gifts would have dropped back to the general 50% cap.35 18 Few retirees give more than half their AGI in cash. So this mostly matters in a year with a very large gift.

What do the changes mean for how often you itemize?

The floor comes off every year you itemize. So giving in fewer, larger years loses that slice less often. That can make bunching (giving several years of gifts in one year so they are big enough to deduct) more appealing for some retirees. In the off years, the floor doesn’t touch your standard deduction or the new cash deduction.

Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234

Whether it fits depends on how far your itemized deductions are from the standard deduction. It also depends on your income each year. See bunching.

A year-end checklist for 2026

These are the points many retirees look at before December 31. Each one depends on your own numbers.

  1. Check whether you’ll itemize. Add up your likely itemized deductions. Compare the total with your standard deduction. Add the cash deduction you’d give up.
  2. If you won’t itemize, look at cash gifts. Only cash given straight to a public charity can count. Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234
  3. If you will itemize, count the floor. From 2026, itemized gifts count only above 0.5% of AGI.567
  4. If a big income year is coming, look at timing. That’s where the yearly caps and the top-bracket trim matter most. From 2026, a 2/37 trim in the 37% bracket, so a fully hit dollar saves about 35 cents.89
  5. At 70½ or older, compare an IRA gift. By my reading, it isn’t touched by any of these deduction rules (see below).
  6. Give early enough. Moving shares can take days, and firms set their own year-end cutoffs.

Which year a gift lands in:

A gift is deducted in the year you pay it.36 A mailed check counts on the day you mail it, if it clears.3738 A gift on a credit card counts in the year you make the charge.37 A stock certificate you sign over counts the day you deliver or mail it to the charity.3938 Stock sent through your own broker or the company counts only when it is moved into the charity’s name.39

Where do QCDs fit in the 2026 rules?

By my reading of how the rules are written, none of the 2026 deduction rules shrink a QCD.

A QCD is left out of your income, so it never reaches your AGI.4041 Because of that, you can’t also deduct it as a charitable gift.40 If your IRA holds after-tax money, the QCD comes first from the money that would be taxed.40

The floor, the non-itemizer cap and the top-bracket trim all act on deductions. A QCD never becomes one.

Non-itemizer cash deduction Itemized gift QCD (70½ or older, from an IRA)
Need to itemize? No (only for years you don’t itemize) Yes No
Cap $1,0001 / $2,0001 joint 20% to 60% of AGI $111,000 per IRA owner in 2026 ($108,000 in 2025).424344
0.5% floor Doesn’t apply From 2026, itemized gifts count only above 0.5% of AGI.567 Doesn’t apply, by my reading (a QCD is never deducted)
Top-bracket trim No From 2026, a 2/37 trim in the 37% bracket, so a fully hit dollar saves about 35 cents.89 No
Lowers AGI? No Itemized, so it lowers taxable income but not AGI.12131514 Yes
Can go to a DAF? No Yes A public charity, not a donor-advised fund, supporting organization or most private foundations.4546
Meets your RMD without adding to your income? No No Yes, once your RMDs have started: 73 or 75, depending on birth year.4748. See QCDs and RMDs. An inherited IRA is different. Its required withdrawals are set by the original owner’s death, not by your age. So they can already be running at 70½49

A QCD also counts toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) (the least you must take out of a regular IRA each year once you reach a set age).

A QCD counts toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year.50 Taking out more than your RMD doesn’t earn credit toward a later year’s RMD.51

On your return, a QCD runs through the IRA lines of Form 1040, not Schedule A.52 See QCD reporting for the exact lines.

If you’re 70½ or older with a traditional IRA, the 2026 changes widen the gap between a QCD and a deducted gift. A QCD also lowers AGI, which shrinks the floor on any gifts you do itemize. The caps are shares of AGI too. So by my reading, a lower AGI also lowers the 60% cash cap and the 30% stock cap.53 That only matters for a very large gift. Whether it tips the choice depends on a few things:

  • What you give: cash, or appreciated stock (stock or fund shares now worth more than you paid for them).
  • Whether you want a DAF. A QCD can’t fund one.
  • How close you are to the standard deduction.

The QCD guide covers the details.

Common mistakes

  • Giving to a DAF and expecting the non-itemizer deduction. DAF gifts are left out. Up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash to public charities, from 2026, if you don't itemize.1234
  • Counting a gift of stock toward the non-itemizer deduction. It’s cash only.
  • Thinking the floor amount always carries forward. It usually doesn’t (above).
  • Treating the top-bracket rule as a flat 35% rate. It’s limited by how much income is in the 37% bracket, so it can be much smaller. From 2026, a 2/37 trim in the 37% bracket, so a fully hit dollar saves about 35 cents.89
  • Expecting the non-itemizer deduction to lower Medicare premiums. It lowers taxable income, not AGI. AGI plus tax-exempt interest, usually from two years earlier.192021

Sources (53)

Show

  1. Beginning in 2026, taxpayers who do not itemize may deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash gifts to § 170(b)(1)(A) public charities, excluding gifts to supporting organizations and donor-advised funds.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(p)the deduction under this section shall be equal to the deduction, not in excess of 1,000 ($2,000 in the case of a joint return) Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), Amendment note, P.L. 119-21 § 70424(a)substituted “$1,000 ($2,000” for “$300 ($600” Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), Effective date note, P.L. 119-21 § 70424(b)shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025 . Checked 2026-10-09.

  2. The non-itemizer deduction counts only cash contributions made during the year to § 170(b)(1)(A) organizations, not to § 509(a)(3) supporting organizations or for a new or existing donor-advised fund, and is computed without carryovers and without the 0.5% floor.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(p)which would be determined under this section if the only charitable contributions taken into account in determining such deduction were contributions made in cash during such taxable year (determined without regard to subsections (b)(1)(G)(ii), (b)(1)(I), and (d)(1)) Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(p)(1)-(2)to an organization described in section 509(a)(3), or (2) for the establishment of a new, or maintenance of an existing, donor advised fund Checked 2026-10-09.

  3. The § 170(p) deduction for non-itemizers (cash gifts, beginning 2026) does not apply to contributions for the establishment or maintenance of a donor-advised fund, or to § 509(a)(3) supporting organizations.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(p)(2)(2) for the establishment of a new, or maintenance of an existing, donor advised fund (as defined in section 4966(d)(2) ). Checked 2026-10-09.

  4. For a taxpayer who does not itemize, taxable income is AGI minus the standard deduction and other listed deductions, including the § 170(p) non-itemizer charitable deduction. That deduction therefore reduces taxable income but not AGI.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 63 (LII), § 63(b)the term “ taxable income ” means adjusted gross income , minus— (1) the standard deduction , (2) the deduction for personal exemptions provided in section 151, (3) any deduction provided in section 199A, (4) the deduction provided in section 170(p), Checked 2026-10-09.

  5. Starting in 2026, itemized charitable deductions are allowed only to the extent total contributions exceed 0.5% of the taxpayer's contribution base (AGI). Disallowed amounts may carry forward only in limited circumstances (new § 170(d)(1)(C) — not reviewed).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(I)shall be allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions exceeds 0.5 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), Effective date note, P.L. 119-21 § 70425(c)shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025 . Checked 2026-10-09.

  6. The 0.5% floor applies to charitable contributions 'otherwise allowable (without regard to this subparagraph)' as a deduction, i.e., read here as the amount allowable after the percentage-of-AGI limits. This ordering is the reviewer's reading of the statute text; no IRS worked example was located.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(I)Any charitable contribution otherwise allowable (without regard to this subparagraph) as a deduction under this section shall be allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions exceeds 0.5 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base for the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-09.

  7. The 0.5% floor is applied first against 20%-limit capital gain gifts, then 30% capital gain gifts, then 30%-limit (other) gifts, then conservation gifts, then 50% gifts, and last against 60% cash gifts.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(I)(i)first, by taking into account charitable contributions to which subparagraph (D) applies to the extent thereof, Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(I)(vi)sixth, by taking into account charitable contributions to which subparagraph (G) applies to the extent thereof. Checked 2026-10-09.

  8. Starting in 2026, taxpayers in the 37% bracket have itemized deductions (including charitable) reduced by 2/37 of the lesser of total itemized deductions or taxable income above the 37% bracket threshold — effectively capping the tax value of a deduction at 35 cents per dollar. The "35% cap" is a shorthand, not statutory language.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 68 (LII), § 68(a)shall be reduced by 2 ⁄ 37 of the lesser of Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 68 (LII), Effective date note, P.L. 119-21 § 70111(c)shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025 . Checked 2026-10-09.

  9. The § 68 reduction is 2/37 of the lesser of (1) itemized deductions or (2) taxable income, computed before § 68 and increased by itemized deductions, above the start of the 37% bracket. It is applied after every other limitation on itemized deductions (including the 0.5% floor and the AGI percentage limits).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 68 (LII), § 68(a)(2)so much of the taxable income of the taxpayer for the taxable year (determined without regard to this section and increased by such amount of itemized deductions ) as exceeds the dollar amount at which the 37 percent rate bracket under section 1 begins with respect to the taxpayer. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 68 (LII), § 68(b)This section shall be applied after the application of any other limitation on the allowance of any itemized deduction. Checked 2026-10-09.

  10. 2026 standard deduction: $32,200 married filing jointly, $16,100 single or married filing separately, $24,150 head of household. Additional amount for age 65+ or blind: $1,650 per qualifying person if married, $2,050 if unmarried and not a surviving spouse. (2025 under OBBBA: $31,500 / $15,750 / $23,625.)

  11. A surviving spouse may file jointly for the year of death (if not remarried by year end); that is the last joint year. Qualifying surviving spouse status (joint rates and the joint standard deduction) is available for the next 2 years only to a surviving spouse with a dependent child or stepchild; otherwise the survivor generally files as single afterward.

    • IRS Publication 501 (2025), Qualifying Surviving SpouseThe year of death is the last year for which you can file jointly with your deceased spouse. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 501 (2025), Qualifying Surviving Spouse, Eligibility rulesYou have a child or stepchild (not a foster child) whom you can claim as a dependent or could claim as a dependent Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 501 (2025), Filing Status, Married personsIf you didn’t remarry before the end of the tax year, you can file a joint return for yourself and your deceased spouse. Checked 2026-10-09.

  12. To deduct charitable contributions in the ordinary way, an individual must itemize on Schedule A.

    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), DeductionsGenerally, to deduct a charitable contribution, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). Checked 2026-10-09.

  13. No itemized deduction is allowed unless the individual elects to itemize for the year; the taxpayer takes either itemized deductions or the standard deduction.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 63 (LII), § 63(e)(1)Unless an individual makes an election under this subsection for the taxable year, no itemized deduction shall be allowed for the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-10.

  14. Itemized deductions (including the ordinary charitable deduction) are, by definition, deductions other than those allowable in arriving at adjusted gross income, so they reduce taxable income but not AGI.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 63 (LII), § 63(d)the term “ itemized deductions ” means the deductions allowable under this chapter other than— (1) the deductions allowable in arriving at adjusted gross income Checked 2026-10-10.

  15. AGI is gross income minus the deductions listed in § 62(a). Itemized deductions are, by definition, the deductions other than those allowable in arriving at AGI, and taxable income is gross income minus the deductions allowed. So an itemized charitable deduction (including one for a gift to a donor-advised fund or of appreciated stock) reduces taxable income but not AGI, and therefore not MAGI measures built on AGI, such as the IRMAA MAGI (AGI plus tax-exempt interest).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 62 (LII), § 62(a)For purposes of this subtitle, the term “adjusted gross income” means, in the case of an individual, gross income minus the following deductions: Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 63 (LII), § 63(d)For purposes of this subtitle, the term “itemized deductions” means the deductions allowable under this chapter other than— (1) the deductions allowable in arriving at adjusted gross income, and (2) any deduction referred to in any paragraph of subsection (b). Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 63 (LII), § 63(a)Except as provided in subsection (b), for purposes of this subtitle, the term “taxable income” means gross income minus the deductions allowed by this chapter (other than the standard deduction). Checked 2026-10-10.

  16. The § 170(p) non-itemizer charitable deduction applies 'in the case of any taxable year' in which the individual does not elect to itemize; the provision as amended by P.L. 119-21 contains no termination date (it applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(p)In the case of any taxable year, if the individual does not elect to itemize deductions for such taxable year, the deduction under this section shall be equal to the deduction, not in excess of 1,000 ($2,000 in the case of a joint return) Checked 2026-10-10.

  17. On the 2026 Form 1040 (IRS early-release DRAFT, created 8/19/26), the non-itemizer charitable deduction has its own line, 12f, separate from line 12e (standard deduction or itemized deductions). Draft; confirm against the final form.

  18. Contributions to § 170(b)(1)(A) organizations (public charities, and the operating/pass-through/pooled private foundations described in § 170(b)(1)(F)) are generally limited to 50% of the contribution base, before the special 60% cash rule and the 30% capital-gain-property rule.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(A), flush languageshall be allowed to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions does not exceed 50 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base for the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(A)(vii)a private foundation described in subparagraph (F), Checked 2026-10-09.

  19. Medicare IRMAA is determined from MAGI, defined as AGI plus tax-exempt interest, generally from the tax return two years before the premium year (2026 premiums generally use 2024 returns).

  20. IRMAA is based on modified AGI = AGI (Form 1040 line 11) plus tax-exempt interest, using the most recent tax data IRS can provide: generally the return from two years before the premium year (2026 premiums generally use 2024 returns), but not more than three years prior.

    • SSA POMS HI 01101.010 (12/02/2025), A.1the beneficiary’s adjusted gross income (AGI) (found on line 11 of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax filing form 1040), plus • tax-exempt interest income (line 2a of IRS Form 1040). Checked 2026-10-09.
    • SSA POMS HI 01101.010 (12/02/2025), A.2Generally, the information is from two years prior to the year for which the premium is being determined, but not more than three years prior. For example, 2026 premiums are generally based on 2024 tax return information. Checked 2026-10-09.

  21. IRMAA is assessed per Medicare beneficiary: each enrolled beneficiary whose MAGI is above the threshold for their tax filing status pays an IRMAA; the joint-filer threshold is a single figure for the joint return.

    • SSA POMS HI 01101.001, A.1and have modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), (see HI 01101.010 ) above the threshold for their tax filing status pay an IRMAA in addition to the monthly premium. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • SSA POMS HI 01101.010, BMarried, filing jointly $194,000 $206,000 $212,000 $218,000 Checked 2026-10-09.

  22. To test whether Social Security benefits are taxable, compare one-half of benefits plus all other income (including tax-exempt interest) with a base amount for the filing status; above it, part of benefits may be taxable, generally up to 50%, and up to 85% above a second, higher amount. The base amounts are fixed dollar figures (not inflation-indexed in the publication).

    • IRS Publication 915 (2025), Are Any of Your Benefits Taxable?compare the base amount (explained later) for your filing status with the total of: One-half of your benefits; plus All your other income, including tax-exempt interest. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 915 (2025), Base amountYour base amount is: $25,000 if you are single, head of household, or qualifying surviving spouse; Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 915 (2025), Maximum taxable partGenerally, up to 50% of your benefits will be taxable. However, up to 85% of your benefits can be taxable if either of the following situations applies to you. The total of one-half of your benefits and all your other income is more than $34,000 ($44,000 if you are married filing jointly). Checked 2026-10-09.

  23. Whether, and how much of, Social Security benefits are taxable depends on modified adjusted gross income plus one-half of benefits compared with a base amount; that modified AGI starts from adjusted gross income (increased by tax-exempt interest). Income excluded from AGI, such as a QCD, therefore does not enter the test.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 86 (LII), § 86(b)(1)the modified adjusted gross income of the taxpayer for the taxable year, plus (ii) one-half of the social security benefits received during the taxable year, exceeds (B) the base amount Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 86 (LII), § 86(b)(2)increased by the amount of interest received or accrued by the taxpayer during the taxable year which is exempt from tax. Checked 2026-10-09.

  24. For 2025 through 2028, each taxpayer (and spouse on a joint return) age 65+ by year end gets an extra $6,000 deduction, available whether or not they itemize, reduced by 6% of modified AGI above $75,000 ($150,000 joint). Married couples must file jointly; a valid SSN is required.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(i)In the case of a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2029 , there shall be allowed a deduction in an amount equal to $6,000 for each qualified individual Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(iii)(I)shall be reduced (but not below zero) by 6 percent of so much of the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income as exceeds $75,000 ($150,000 in the case of a joint return). Checked 2026-10-09.
    • Instructions for Form 1040 (2025), Schedule 1-A, Part VYou can claim this deduction whether you claim the standard deduction or itemize deductions Checked 2026-10-09.
    • Instructions for Form 1040 (2025), Schedule 1-A, Part VIf you are married, you must file a joint return with your spouse to claim this deduction. Checked 2026-10-09.

  25. The senior deduction's 'qualified individual' is the taxpayer (and, on a joint return, the spouse) who has attained age 65 before the close of the taxable year; the qualified individual's Social Security number must be on the return; married individuals must file jointly; the phaseout uses AGI increased only by foreign-income exclusions (§§ 911, 931, 933), so income excluded from gross income, such as a QCD, does not count.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(ii)the taxpayer, if the taxpayer has attained age 65 before the close of the taxable year, and (II) in the case of a joint return, the taxpayer’s spouse, if such spouse has attained age 65 before the close of the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(iii)(II)the term “ modified adjusted gross income ” means the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer for the taxable year increased by any amount excluded from gross income under section 911, 931, or 933. Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(iv)(I)Clause (i) shall not apply with respect to a qualified individual unless the taxpayer includes such qualified individual ’s social security number on the return of tax for the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 151 (LII), § 151(d)(5)(C)(v)this subparagraph shall apply only if the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse file a joint return for the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-10.

  26. On Schedule 1-A, the 6% phaseout of the senior deduction is computed once from modified AGI and subtracted from each qualifying spouse's $6,000 separately; the two reduced amounts are then added. On a joint return, each $1,000 of MAGI above the threshold therefore reduces the couple's combined senior deduction by $120.

  27. For federal income tax purposes a person is treated as reaching age 65 on the day before that person's 65th birthday, so someone born on January 1 is treated as having attained age 65 before the close of the prior taxable year.

  28. On the 2026 Schedule A (IRS early-release DRAFT, created 5/12/26), itemized charitable gifts flow through a new 'Charitable Contribution Limitation Worksheet' (line 13), with prior-year carryovers on a separate line 14. Draft; confirm against the final form and its instructions.

  29. The percentage limits are measured against the 'contribution base', which for individuals is AGI computed without any net operating loss carryback.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(H)the term “ contribution base ” means adjusted gross income (computed without regard to any net operating loss carryback to the taxable year under section 172 ). Checked 2026-10-09.

  30. Contributions above the AGI limits carry over for up to 5 years (15 for qualified conservation contributions) and generally keep the same percentage limit in the carryover year.

    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), Carryoversyou may be able to deduct the excess in each of the next 5 years until it is used up, but not beyond that time. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), CarryoversGenerally, contributions you carry over are subject to the same percentage limits in the year to which they are carried as they were in the year of the contribution. Checked 2026-10-09.

  31. Within each category, current-year contributions are deducted before carryovers, and older carryovers are used before newer ones.

    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), CarryoversFor each category of contributions, you deduct carryover contributions only after deducting all allowable contributions in that category for the current year. If you have carryovers from 2 or more prior years, use the carryover from the earlier year first. Checked 2026-10-09.

  32. Qualified conservation contributions over their AGI limit carry over for 15 succeeding years, not 5.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170(b)(1)(E)(ii), § 170(b)(1)(E)(ii)such excess shall be treated (in a manner consistent with the rules of subsection (d)(1)) as a charitable contribution to which clause (i) applies in each of the 15 succeeding years in order of time. Checked 2026-10-10.

  33. An amount disallowed by the 0.5% floor carries forward only from a year in which a percentage limit is also exceeded (so that an excess is carried forward anyway); in that case the floor-disallowed amount is added to the carryover. In a year where the AGI limits are not exceeded, the floor-disallowed amount is simply lost.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(d)(1)(C), headingContributions disallowed by 0.5-percent floor carried forward only from years in which limitation is exceeded Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(d)(1)(C)(i)In the case of any taxable year from which an excess is carried forward (determined without regard to this subparagraph) under any carryover rule , the applicable carryover rule shall be applied by increasing the excess Checked 2026-10-09.

  34. Under § 170(d)(1)(C), in a year from which an excess is carried forward under a carryover rule (determined without regard to the floor), that carryover is increased by the amount attributable to the contributions to which that rule applies that was disallowed by the 0.5% floor. Floor-disallowed amounts attributable to a category with no excess are not added.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(d)(1)(C)(i)In the case of any taxable year from which an excess is carried forward (determined without regard to this subparagraph) under any carryover rule , the applicable carryover rule shall be applied by increasing the excess determined under such applicable carryover rule for the contribution year (before the application of subparagraph (B)) by the amount attributable to the charitable contributions to which such rule applies which is not allowed as a deduction for the contribution year by reason of subsection (b)(1)(I). Checked 2026-10-09.

  35. Cash gifts to § 170(b)(1)(A) organizations are limited to 60% of the contribution base (reduced by other § 170(b)(1)(A) contributions). P.L. 119-21 § 70425(b)(1) rewrote the provision and removed the prior 'before January 1, 2026' end date, so the 60% limit no longer sunsets.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(G)(i) (as amended)For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 , any contribution of cash to an organization described in subparagraph (A) shall be allowed as a deduction Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(G)(i)(I)60 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base for the taxable year, over Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), Amendment note, 2025—Subsec. (b)(1)(G)(i)Pub. L. 119–21, § 70425(b)(1) , amended cl. (i) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In the case of any contribution of cash to an organization described in subparagraph (A), the total amount of such contributions which may be taken into account under subsection (a) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017 , and before January 1, 2026 , shall not exceed 60 percent Checked 2026-10-09.

  36. A charitable deduction is allowed for the taxable year in which the contribution is paid. For a DAF, that is the year the donor contributes to the fund, regardless of when grants are later made to charities (grants are distributions by the sponsor, not contributions by the donor).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(a)(1)There shall be allowed as a deduction any charitable contribution (as defined in subsection (c)) payment of which is made within the taxable year. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS: Donor-advised funds, Overview paragraphOnce the donor makes the contribution, the organization has legal control over it. Checked 2026-10-09.

  37. A gift counts in the year it is unconditionally delivered: a mailed check in the year it is mailed, and a gift charged to a bank credit card in the year of the charge.

  38. A charitable contribution is ordinarily made when delivery is effected. A check counts on the date mailed or delivered if it clears; a stock certificate delivered to the donor's own bank or broker (as the donor's agent) or to the issuer for transfer is a completed gift only on the date the stock is transferred on the corporation's books.

    • 26 CFR § 1.170A-1 (LII), § 1.170A-1(b)Ordinarily, a contribution is made at the time delivery is effected. The unconditional delivery or mailing of a check which subsequently clears in due course will constitute an effective contribution on the date of delivery or mailing. Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 CFR § 1.170A-1 (LII), § 1.170A-1(b)If the donor delivers the stock certificate to his bank or broker as the donor's agent, or to the issuing corporation or its agent, for transfer into the name of the donee , the gift is completed on the date the stock is transferred on the books of the corporation . Checked 2026-10-10.

  39. An endorsed stock certificate is delivered on mailing; if handed to the donor's agent or the issuer for transfer, the gift is not complete until transfer on the corporation's books.

    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), When To Deduct, Stock certificateA properly endorsed stock certificate is considered delivered on the date of mailing or other delivery to the charity or to the charity’s agent. However, if you give a stock certificate to your agent or to the issuing corporation for transfer to the name of the charity, your contribution isn’t delivered until the date the stock is transferred on the books of the corporation. Checked 2026-10-09.

  40. A QCD is excluded from gross income and cannot also be claimed as a charitable deduction. Only the portion that would otherwise be taxable can be a QCD; when an IRA has nondeductible basis, the QCD is treated as coming first from the taxable (pre-tax) money, overriding the normal pro-rata rule.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(E)shall not be taken into account in determining the deduction under section 170. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(B), flush languageA distribution shall be treated as a qualified charitable distribution only to the extent that the distribution would be includible in gross income without regard to subparagraph (A). Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(D)Notwithstanding section 72, in determining the extent to which a distribution is a qualified charitable distribution Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 2, QCDsIf your IRA includes nondeductible contributions, the distribution is first considered to be paid out of otherwise taxable income. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 2, QCDsYou can't claim a charitable contribution deduction for any QCD not included in your income. Checked 2026-10-09.

  41. Adjusted gross income means, for an individual, gross income minus the deductions listed in § 62(a), so an amount excluded from gross income never enters AGI.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 62 (LII), § 62(a)For purposes of this subtitle, the term "adjusted gross income" means, in the case of an individual, gross income minus the following deductions: Checked 2026-10-12.

  42. The annual QCD exclusion was $100,000 through 2023 and is inflation-indexed for tax years beginning after 2023 (SECURE 2.0 § 307), rounded to the nearest $1,000: $105,000 for 2024, $108,000 for 2025, $111,000 for 2026.

  43. The limit applies per IRA owner. On a joint return each spouse may exclude up to the limit, but only from IRAs that spouse owns; one spouse cannot use the other's unused limit.

    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 2, QCDsIf you file a joint return, your spouse can also have a QCD and exclude up to $108,000. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Notice 2007-7, A-34For married individuals filing a joint return, the limit is $100,000 per individual IRA owner. Checked 2026-10-09.

  44. The QCD exclusion cap applies to the aggregate amount of qualified charitable distributions with respect to a taxpayer during a taxable year, not per account.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(A)So much of the aggregate amount of qualified charitable distributions with respect to a taxpayer made during any taxable year which does not exceed $100,000 shall not be includible in gross income of such taxpayer for such taxable year. Checked 2026-10-09.

  45. The recipient must be a § 170(b)(1)(A) organization. Donor-advised funds and § 509(a)(3) supporting organizations are excluded by statute. Private non-operating foundations are excluded because they are not § 170(b)(1)(A) organizations (only foundations described in § 170(b)(1)(F) — operating, pass-through, and pooled-fund — are listed).

    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(B)(i)(other than any organization described in section 509(a)(3) or any fund or account described in section 4966(d)(2)) Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Notice 2007-7, A-35other than supporting organizations described in § 509(a)(3) or donor advised funds that are described in § 4966(d)(2). Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(A)(vii)(vii) a private foundation described in subparagraph (F), Checked 2026-10-09.

  46. A 'charitable contribution' under § 170(c)(2) must go to an organization created or organized in the United States or a possession, or under US, state or DC law. Because a QCD must be one for which a deduction for the entire distribution would be allowable under § 170, a gift paid directly to a foreign organization generally cannot be a QCD.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(c)(2)(A)(A) created or organized in the United States or in any possession thereof, or under the law of the United States Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 408 (LII), § 408(d)(8)(C)only if a deduction for the entire distribution would be allowable under section 170 Checked 2026-10-10.

  47. The RMD applicable age is 73 for an individual who attains age 72 after 2022 and age 73 before 2033, and 75 for an individual who attains age 74 after 2032 (generally, people born in 1960 or later). Read literally, people born in 1959 fit both clauses; the statute's text does not resolve that overlap.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 401 (LII), § 401(a)(9)(C)(v)(I) In the case of an individual who attains age 72 after December 31, 2022 , and age 73 before January 1, 2033 , the applicable age is 73. (II) In the case of an individual who attains age 74 after December 31, 2032 , the applicable age is 75. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • Instructions for Form 1040 (2025), Lines 4a and 4b, More than one distributionYou must start receiving at least a minimum amount from your traditional IRA by April 1 of the year following the year you reach age 73. Checked 2026-10-09.

  48. The 73 applicable age applies to individuals who attain age 72 after December 31, 2022 (born in 1951 or later); 75 applies to those who attain 74 after 2032. So the 73/75 RMD start ages apply to people born in 1951 or later.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 401 (LII), § 401(a)(9)(C)(v)In the case of an individual who attains age 74 after December 31, 2032, the applicable age is 75. Checked 2026-10-10.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 401 (LII), § 401(a)(9)(C)(v)(I)the applicable age is 73 Checked 2026-10-10.

  49. Required distributions to a beneficiary of an inherited account are triggered by the owner's death, not by the beneficiary's own age: where distributions had begun, the remaining interest must continue to be distributed at least as rapidly as before the death, and the life-expectancy exception requires distributions to begin no later than one year after the death. The applicable age of 73 or 75 in § 401(a)(9)(C)(v) sets the required beginning date for the individual for whose benefit the plan is maintained, not for a beneficiary.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 401 (LII), § 401(a)(9)(B)(i)the employee dies before his entire interest has been distributed to him, the remaining portion of such interest will be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distributions being used under subparagraph (A)(ii) as of the date of his death Checked 2026-10-11.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 401 (LII), § 401(a)(9)(B)(iii)(III)such distributions begin not later than 1 year after the date of the employee's death or such later date as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe Checked 2026-10-11.
    • IRS Notice 2007-7, A-37is available for distributions from an IRA maintained for the benefit of a beneficiary after the death of the IRA owner if the beneficiary has attained age 70½ Checked 2026-10-09.

  50. A QCD counts toward the IRA owner's (or beneficiary's) required minimum distribution for the year.

    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 1, Required minimum distributions noteA qualified charitable distribution will count towards your required minimum distribution. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Notice 2007-7, A-42The amount distributed in a qualified charitable distribution is an amount distributed from the IRA for purposes of §§ 408(a)(6), 408(b)(3), and 408A(c)(5). Checked 2026-10-09.

  51. Distributing more than the RMD in one year (including through a QCD larger than the RMD) does not create a credit toward future years' RMDs.

    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 1, Miscellaneous Rules for Required Minimum Distributions, More than minimum receivedIf, in any year, you receive more than the required minimum amount for that year, you won't receive credit for the additional amount when determining the minimum required amounts for future years. Checked 2026-10-09.

  52. On the 2025 Form 1040, if all or part of an IRA distribution is a QCD, the total goes on line 4a; if only part is a QCD, the non-QCD part goes on line 4b; box 2 on line 4c is checked. When the IRA has nondeductible basis and a distribution goes to charity, Form 8606 is filed (Pub 590-B Amy example), and the basis portion may be deductible on Schedule A subject to AGI limits.

    • Instructions for Form 1040 (2025), Lines 4a and 4b, Exception 3If all or part of the distribution is a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), enter the total distribution on line 4a. If the total amount distributed is a QCD, enter -0- on line 4b. If only part of the distribution is a QCD, enter the part that is not a QCD on line 4b unless Exception 2 applies to that part. Check box 2 on line 4c. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 2, QCDs, Amy exampleBecause Amy made a distribution of nondeductible contributions from her IRA, she must file Form 8606 with her return. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Ch. 2, QCDs, Amy examplethe $5,000 portion of the distribution attributable to the nondeductible contributions can be deducted as a charitable contribution, subject to adjusted gross income (AGI) limits. Checked 2026-10-09.

  53. Long-term appreciated capital-gain property given to a public charity is generally deductible at fair market value, limited to 30% of AGI; cash gifts to public charities are limited to 60% of AGI. Excess carries forward up to 5 years. Property held 1 year or less (ordinary income property) is limited to basis because the deduction is reduced by gain that would not be long-term.

    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(C)(i)shall not exceed 30 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base for such year. Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(b)(1)(G)(i)(I) 60 percent of the taxpayer’s contribution base for the taxable year Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(d)(1)(A)paid in each of the 5 succeeding taxable years in order of time Checked 2026-10-09.
    • 26 U.S.C. § 170 (LII), § 170(e)(1)(A)the amount of gain which would not have been long-term capital gain Checked 2026-10-09.
    • IRS Publication 526 (2025), Ordinary Income Propertycapital assets (defined later, under Capital Gain Property ) held 1 year or less. Checked 2026-10-09.