Are donations to GoFundMe accounts tax deductible in any way for 2025 taxes?
I've been helping out a few friends and causes through GoFundMe lately, and I started wondering if any of these donations could be tax deductible when I file next year. I know that charitable donations to recognized organizations can be deducted, but what about GoFundMe campaigns? Last month I donated about $450 to a family who lost their home in a fire, and another $275 to help someone's medical expenses. I'm not doing it for tax benefits obviously, but it would be nice to know if I could claim any of this on my taxes. I had a random thought - if I gave the money to my church instead and they distributed it to these same people, would that make it deductible? Or is that just adding a pointless middle-man? Does GoFundMe itself count as a charity? Any insights would be appreciated!
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Mia Green
Tax professional here - this is a really common question! For a donation to be tax deductible, it needs to go to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization. Most GoFundMe campaigns are set up for individuals or families, not registered charities, so donations to these campaigns are generally considered personal gifts and aren't tax deductible. However, GoFundMe does have a program called GoFundMe Charity where verified nonprofit organizations can fundraise. If you donate through one of these specific charitable campaigns, and the organization is a qualified 501(c)(3), then yes - your donation would be tax deductible. Your church idea is interesting but potentially problematic. While donations to churches are generally deductible, if you donate with specific instructions for the funds to go to particular individuals, the IRS might view this as a "pass-through" gift rather than a deductible charitable donation.
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Emma Bianchi
•Thanks for explaining! So what happens if I donate to a GoFundMe that's raising money for a legit charity like Red Cross or something? Is that deductible or do I need to donate directly to the charity?
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Mia Green
•Great question! If the GoFundMe is officially set up by the charitable organization itself or through GoFundMe's verified charity program, then yes, it would be deductible. You should receive proper tax documentation. However, if an individual creates a GoFundMe and says they'll give the money to Red Cross, that's different. In that case, you'd want to donate directly to the charity instead to ensure tax deductibility and receive the proper documentation for your tax records.
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Lucas Kowalski
I discovered this really useful tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) when I was trying to figure out the same thing about GoFundMe donations last year! I had donated to several campaigns and was confused about what was deductible. I uploaded my donation receipts and bank statements to taxr.ai and it immediately identified which ones qualified as tax deductions and which were considered personal gifts. It even explained the specific tax code sections that applied to each donation type. Saved me from accidentally claiming non-deductible donations that might have triggered an audit flag.
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Olivia Martinez
•Does it work with other crowdfunding platforms too? I've donated through Kickstarter and Indiegogo for some projects and always wondered if any of those are tax deductible.
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Charlie Yang
•I'm skeptical... how does it actually know which GoFundMe campaigns are registered charities? Couldn't you just look at the GoFundMe page itself to see if it's a 501c3?
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Lucas Kowalski
•Yes, it works with all the major crowdfunding platforms including Kickstarter and Indiegogo. It analyzes the documentation and details from each platform and applies the relevant tax rules. Super helpful for sorting through different types of contributions. For verifying registered charities, taxr.ai actually cross-references the information against the IRS database of qualified organizations. While you could manually check each one, the tool automates this process and handles edge cases like fiscally sponsored projects or parent organizations with different names than their initiatives.
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Charlie Yang
I was totally skeptical about taxr.ai at first, but I finally tried it after receiving a CP2000 notice questioning some deductions I took for what I thought were charitable donations. Turns out several GoFundMe campaigns I donated to weren't actually tax-deductible, but a few were! The tool correctly identified which was which and saved me from making the same mistake again. It also helped me understand exactly WHY certain donations didn't qualify - something my tax software never explained. Now I know exactly what to look for before claiming those deductions!
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Grace Patel
If you're still waiting for the IRS to process your return with charitable deductions, Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) literally saved my sanity this year. I had claimed some GoFundMe donations that I later realized might not be deductible, and needed to ask the IRS specific questions about my situation. After wasting 3 hours on hold over two days, I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent clarified exactly which donations were allowable and helped me understand what documentation I needed to keep.
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ApolloJackson
•Wait, so this actually gets you through to a real IRS person? How does that even work? Last time I tried calling about my charitable deductions I gave up after being on hold for like 2 hours.
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Isabella Russo
•This sounds like a scam. How could some random service get you through to the IRS faster than calling directly? The IRS doesn't have any special lines for third parties.
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Grace Patel
•It definitely connects you with a real IRS agent! It uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an agent picks up, you get a call back and are immediately connected. No more sitting on hold for hours. I had the exact same skepticism at first. Claimyr doesn't have a "special line" - what they've done is create technology that handles the waiting process for you. They use automated systems to stay on hold instead of you having to do it yourself. The IRS doesn't give them special treatment; they're just handling the frustrating part of the process so you don't have to.
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Isabella Russo
I've gotta admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it when I needed to call the IRS about some charitable contributions issues. I was expecting it to be a waste of money, but I got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes! The agent helped clarify that my church donations that went to specific families weren't technically tax deductible since they were earmarked for particular individuals. She also explained exactly which documentation I needed for the legitimate charitable deductions I did have. Saved me from a potential audit headache and the hours I would've spent on hold. Totally worth it.
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Rajiv Kumar
Just want to add my experience - I've been doing my parents taxes for the past 5 years and they donate to EVERYTHING. One thing to watch out for is that sometimes organizations will create GoFundMe campaigns that sound charitable but aren't actually registered 501c3s. My parents donated $1000 to a "wildlife rescue foundation" through GoFundMe last year and it turned out to be just some guy with rescue animals, not an actual registered charity. We couldn't deduct it even though it sounded legitimate!
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Sophia Rodriguez
•How did you figure out it wasn't a legitimate charity? Is there a website where you can look up if an organization is actually a registered 501c3?
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Rajiv Kumar
•You can use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool online - it's free and official. Just go to the IRS website and search for that tool. Another option is checking GuideStar or Charity Navigator, which have databases of registered nonprofits with additional information about their financials and effectiveness. In our case, I couldn't find the "wildlife rescue foundation" on any of these platforms, which was the first red flag. When I contacted them directly, they admitted they were in the process of "applying for nonprofit status" but weren't actually registered yet.
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Aria Washington
Can somone help me understand the difference between someone asking for money on GoFundMe for medical bills versus an actual medical charity? If I donate $500 to a specific person's cancer treatment, that's not deductible, but if I donate $500 to American Cancer Society, it is? Seems kinda unfair to me...
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Mia Green
•You've got it exactly right. Donations to a specific person's medical GoFundMe aren't tax deductible because they're considered personal gifts. Donations to established charities like American Cancer Society are deductible because they're 501(c)(3) organizations. The key difference is that charities must use donations for their stated charitable purpose and help communities broadly, not just specific individuals. They're also subject to regulations and oversight. Personal fundraisers benefit specific individuals with no such requirements. It might seem unfair, but the tax code is designed to incentivize giving to organizations that serve broader public interests rather than individual needs. That said, many people find direct giving more personally meaningful even without the tax benefit.
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Max Knight
This is such a helpful thread! I had no idea about the GoFundMe Charity program that @Mia Green mentioned. I've been donating to individual campaigns thinking they might be deductible, but now I understand they're considered personal gifts. One thing I'm curious about - what if a GoFundMe campaign is set up to raise money for someone's medical bills, but then any leftover money goes to a legitimate medical charity? Does that change anything about the tax deductibility? Or would I still need to donate directly to the charity to get the deduction? Also, @Rajiv Kumar, thanks for mentioning those verification tools! I'm definitely going to check the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before making any donations I plan to claim as deductions. Better safe than sorry, especially after hearing about your parents' experience with that "wildlife rescue foundation.
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Sophie Duck
•Great question about the leftover funds scenario! Unfortunately, even if a GoFundMe says excess money will go to charity, your donation still wouldn't be tax deductible. The IRS looks at where your money is initially going - which is to an individual, not a qualified charity. The fact that some might eventually reach a 501(c)(3) doesn't change the tax treatment of your original donation. If you want the deduction, you'd need to donate directly to the medical charity. However, you could always donate to both - give what you want to help the individual directly through GoFundMe (knowing it's not deductible), and then make a separate donation to a related charity if you want that tax benefit. @Rajiv Kumar s'verification tip is spot on - I always check that IRS search tool now after getting burned on a few questionable charities "myself!"
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Paolo Ricci
This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's made several GoFundMe donations this year, I had no idea about the distinction between individual campaigns and verified charity campaigns. One thing I'm wondering about - if I donated to a GoFundMe that was later found to be fraudulent (like someone pretending to have medical bills they didn't actually have), does that change anything tax-wise? Would that be considered a theft loss that I could potentially deduct, or would it still just be treated as a non-deductible personal gift? Also, @Mia Green, when you mentioned the GoFundMe Charity program - is there a way to easily identify these verified charitable campaigns when browsing GoFundMe? Do they have special badges or indicators that make them stand out from regular personal fundraisers? Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and tools - I'm definitely going to be more careful about verifying charity status before claiming any deductions going forward!
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Connor O'Neill
•Great questions @Paolo Ricci! Regarding fraudulent GoFundMe donations - unfortunately, these typically can't be claimed as theft losses for tax purposes. The IRS has pretty strict requirements for theft loss deductions, and donations to fake campaigns usually don't qualify because you voluntarily gave the money based on the information presented. However, if you can prove actual criminal fraud was involved and you cooperate with law enforcement, there might be some options - but you'd definitely want to consult a tax professional for that specific situation. For identifying GoFundMe Charity campaigns, yes! They do have special indicators. Look for a "Certified Charity" badge on the campaign page, and these campaigns will typically show the organization's EIN (tax ID number). You can also browse specifically in the "Charity" section of GoFundMe rather than the regular fundraising section. The verified charity campaigns will provide proper tax receipts automatically, while individual campaigns won't. Always good to see people being proactive about verifying before claiming deductions - it saves so much hassle later!
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Miguel Alvarez
This has been such an educational discussion! I want to share something that might help others avoid confusion in the future. When I first started donating to GoFundMe campaigns, I made the mistake of assuming that anything helping people in need would be tax deductible. After reading through all these comments, I realized I need to be much more strategic about this. Here's what I'm planning to do going forward: For causes I really care about, I'll look up established charities that work in that area first. For example, instead of donating to individual medical GoFundMe campaigns, I might donate to organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or local hospital foundations that help patients with financial hardship. That way I can still help people in similar situations while getting the tax deduction. For personal campaigns where I want to help specific individuals (like friends or community members), I'll just accept that it's a personal gift and budget for it accordingly, knowing it won't be deductible. @Sophia Rodriguez, regarding your original donations - the $450 for the fire victims and $275 for medical expenses would be considered non-deductible personal gifts. But you did a wonderful thing helping those families, and that's what really matters most!
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Javier Mendoza
•@Miguel Alvarez, that's such a thoughtful approach! I love how you're planning to balance both types of giving - supporting established charities for the causes you care about while still being able to help individuals directly when needed. Your strategy of researching related charities first is really smart. I never thought about looking for hospital foundations that help patients with financial hardship - that's a great way to still help people in medical crisis situations while getting the tax benefit. I'm definitely going to adopt a similar approach. It makes the tax planning so much clearer when you separate the "charitable giving" budget from the "personal gifts to help friends/community" budget. Thanks for sharing that perspective! And you're absolutely right about what matters most - helping people is the real goal, whether it's tax deductible or not. The deduction is just a nice bonus when it's available.
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Lucy Taylor
This entire discussion has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's made multiple GoFundMe donations over the past year, I had completely wrong assumptions about what was deductible. I particularly appreciate @Mia Green's explanation about the 501(c)(3) requirement and the distinction between GoFundMe's regular campaigns versus their Charity program. I had no idea there was even a difference! One practical tip I'd add - I've started keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking all my donations throughout the year, noting whether they went to verified 501(c)(3) organizations or were personal gifts. This makes tax season so much easier because I'm not scrambling to remember which donations qualify for deductions. @Miguel Alvarez's strategy of researching established charities first is brilliant. I'm going to adopt that approach too. Instead of just reacting to individual GoFundMe campaigns as they pop up in my social media feeds, I'll be more intentional about finding reputable organizations that work in the areas I want to support. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tools - this has definitely changed how I'll approach charitable giving going forward!
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Eli Wang
•@Lucy Taylor, I love the spreadsheet idea! That's such a practical way to stay organized throughout the year. I'm definitely going to start doing that myself - it would save so much time and confusion when tax season rolls around. Your point about being more intentional rather than just reacting to campaigns in social media feeds really resonates with me. I think I've been guilty of impulse donating whenever something sad pops up on Facebook, without really thinking through the tax implications or researching if there are established charities doing similar work. This whole thread has been like a masterclass in charitable giving strategy. Between the verification tools, the distinction between personal gifts and deductible donations, and now practical organization tips like your spreadsheet approach, I feel like I have a much clearer roadmap for how to handle this going forward. Thanks to everyone who contributed - this community is amazing for breaking down complex topics like this in such an understandable way!
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Natasha Volkova
•@Lucy Taylor, your spreadsheet idea is genius! I wish I had thought of that earlier in the year. I'm sitting here trying to reconstruct all my donations from bank statements and email receipts, which is a nightmare. One thing I'd add to your tracking system - you might want to include a column for the EIN (tax ID number) of legitimate charities. That way when you're doing your taxes, you have all the info you need right there instead of having to look it up again. I also learned from this thread that I should probably screenshot or save the "Certified Charity" badges from GoFundMe campaigns, just in case I need documentation later. Better to have too much proof than not enough if the IRS ever asks questions about charitable deductions. This conversation has completely changed my approach to giving too. I had no idea I was treating personal gifts and charitable donations the same way tax-wise. Time to get organized!
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Kaitlyn Otto
Wow, this thread has been absolutely eye-opening! I've been donating to GoFundMe campaigns for years thinking some of them might be tax deductible, but now I realize I've been completely wrong about how this works. The distinction between personal gifts to individuals versus donations to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations makes so much sense now that @Mia Green explained it. I especially appreciated learning about GoFundMe's Charity program - I had no idea there were verified charitable campaigns mixed in with the regular personal fundraisers. I'm definitely going to start using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool that @Rajiv Kumar mentioned before making any donations I plan to claim as deductions. And @Lucy Taylor's spreadsheet idea is fantastic - I'm going to set one up right away to track everything going forward. One question I have: if I've already filed my taxes this year and claimed some GoFundMe donations that I now realize weren't actually deductible, should I be worried about amending my return? Or is this something I should just correct going forward for next year's filing? Thanks everyone for sharing such valuable information and personal experiences!
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Natasha Petrova
•@Kaitlyn Otto, great question about the amended return! I had the same concern when I realized I'd made some mistakes on my charitable deductions earlier this year. From what I understand (though you should definitely consult a tax professional for your specific situation), if the incorrect deductions resulted in you owing less tax than you should have, you might want to consider filing an amended return (Form 1040X) to correct it. The IRS can assess penalties and interest if they catch errors during an audit, especially if the errors resulted in underpayment of taxes. However, if the amounts were relatively small and this was an honest mistake based on misunderstanding the rules (which seems to be the case for a lot of us in this thread!), you might be okay just correcting your approach going forward. The key is making sure you don't repeat the same mistakes. I'd definitely recommend keeping documentation of your research into the rules and maybe even saving screenshots of this entire discussion as evidence that you've educated yourself on the proper requirements. That shows good faith effort if any questions ever come up. But honestly, for peace of mind, it might be worth a quick consultation with a tax professional who can review your specific situation and advise whether an amendment makes sense in your case.
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Katherine Shultz
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who learned about this the hard way. Last year I donated to what I thought was a legitimate animal shelter through GoFundMe - they had a professional-looking page and everything. When I went to claim it on my taxes, my accountant asked for their EIN number. Turns out they weren't actually a registered 501(c)(3), just a private individual who rescued animals as a hobby. What really surprised me was learning that even if someone is doing genuinely charitable work (like rescuing animals or helping disaster victims), if they're not officially registered as a nonprofit, donations to them aren't tax deductible. The IRS doesn't care how worthy the cause is - they only care about the official charitable status. Now I always check three things before donating if I want the tax deduction: 1) Is it through GoFundMe's verified Charity program with the "Certified Charity" badge? 2) Can I find the organization in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search? 3) Do they provide an EIN number on their fundraising page? For personal campaigns where I just want to help individuals (like medical bills or disaster relief for specific families), I budget those separately knowing they're gifts, not deductions. It's made my tax planning much clearer and I haven't had any issues since making this change.
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