This publication explains how to claim a deduction for your charitable contributions. It discusses organizations that are qualified to receive deductible charitable contributions, the types of contributions you can deduct, how much you can deduct, what records to keep, and how to report charitable contributions.

A charitable contribution is a donation or gift to, or for the use of, a qualified organization. It is voluntary and is made without getting, or expecting to get, anything of equal value.

Qualified organizations include nonprofit groups that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or literary in purpose, or that work to prevent cruelty to children or animals. You will find descriptions of these organizations under Organizations That Qualify To Receive Deductible Contributions.

To deduct a charitable contribution, you must file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). The amount of your deduction may be limited if certain rules and limits explained in this publication apply to you.

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You can deduct your contributions only if you make them to a qualified organization. To become a qualified organization, most organizations other than churches and governments, as described later, must apply to the IRS.

You can ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization, and most will be able to tell you. Or go to IRS.gov and enter "Pub 78" in the search box. Click on "Search" and then on "Exempt Organizations Select Check" (www.irs.gov/charities). This new online tool will enable you to search for organizations eligible to receive deductible charitable contributions. You can also call the IRS to find out if an organization is qualified. Call 1-877-829-5500. (For TTY/TDD help, call 1-800-829-4059.)

Generally, only the five following types of organizations can be qualified organizations.

1. A community chest, corporation, trust, fund, or foundation organized or created in or under the laws of the United States, any state, the District of Columbia, or any possession of the United States (including Puerto Rico). It must be organized and operated only for one or more of the following purposes.
   1. Religious.
   2. Charitable.
   3. Educational.
   4. Scientific.
   5. Literary.
   6. The prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
   Certain organizations that foster national or international amateur sports competition also qualify.
   
2. War veterans' organizations, including posts, auxiliaries, trusts, or foundations, organized in the United States or any of its possessions.
3. Domestic fraternal societies, orders, and associations operating under the lodge system. Note. Your contribution to this type of organization is deductible only if it is to be used solely for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
   
4. Certain nonprofit cemetery companies or corporations. Note. Your contribution to this type of organization is not deductible if it can be used for the care of a specific lot or mausoleum crypt.
   
5. The United States or any state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. possession (including Puerto Rico), a political subdivision of a state or U.S. possession, or an Indian tribal government or any of its subdivisions that perform substantial government functions. Note. To be deductible, your contribution to this type of organization must be made solely for public purposes.
   Example 1. You contribute cash to your city's police department to be used as a reward for information about a crime. The city police department is a qualified organization, and your contribution is for a public purpose. You can deduct your contribution.
   Example 2. You make a voluntary contribution to the social security trust fund, not earmarked for a specific account. Because the trust fund is part of the U.S. Government, you contributed to a qualified organization. You can deduct your contribution.
   

The following list gives some examples of qualified organizations.

• Churches, a convention or association of churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations.
• Most nonprofit charitable organizations such as the Red Cross and the United Way.
• Most nonprofit educational organizations, including the Boy (and Girl) Scouts of America, colleges, museums, and daycare centers if substantially all the childcare provided is to enable individuals (the parents) to be gainfully employed and the services are available to the general public. However, if your contribution is a substitute for tuition or other enrollment fee, it is not deductible as a charitable contribution, as explained later under Contributions You Cannot Deduct.
• Nonprofit hospitals and medical research organizations.
• Utility company emergency energy programs, if the utility company is an agent for a charitable organization that assists individuals with emergency energy needs.
• Nonprofit volunteer fire companies.
• Public parks and recreation facilities.
• Civil defense organizations.

You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Canadian charitable organizations covered under an income tax treaty with Canada.

To deduct your contribution to a Canadian charity, you generally must have income from sources in Canada. See Publication 597, Information on the United States–Canada Income Tax Treaty, for information on how to figure your deduction.

Under the U.S.-Mexico income tax treaty, a contribution to a Mexican charitable organization may be deductible, but only if and to the extent the contribution would have been treated as a charitable contribution to a public charity created or organized under U.S. law. To deduct your contribution to a Mexican charity, you must have income from sources in Mexico. The limits described in Limits on Deductions, later, apply and are figured using your income from Mexican sources.

Under the U.S.-Israel income tax treaty, a contribution to an Israeli charitable organization is deductible if and to the extent the contribution would have been treated as a charitable contribution if the organization had been created or organized under U.S. law. To deduct your contribution to an Israeli charity, you must have income from sources in Israel. The limits described in Limits on Deductions, later, apply. The deduction is also limited to 25% of your adjusted gross income from Israeli sources.