Do I need to provide proof when filing Donations deduction for tax purposes?

Yes, you do need documentation for charitable donations you claim on your taxes. The IRS has specific requirements depending on the donation amount and type. For cash donations under $250, you need a bank record, receipt, or other reliable written record. For cash donations of $250 or more, you need a written acknowledgment from the qualified organization. For noncash donations, if the value is less than $250, you need a receipt from the organization. For noncash donations between $250-$500, you need a written acknowledgment. For donations valued between $500-$5,000, you also need to file Form 8283 and maintain records showing how you calculated the value. The challenge with your situation is that giving money or items to family members who then donate them internationally doesn't qualify as a direct donation to a qualified charitable organization under IRS rules. To be tax-deductible, donations must be made directly to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.

I had a similar issue last year with documenting charitable donations and found an awesome solution with https://taxr.ai - it really helped me figure out what documentation I needed for different donation types. After scanning my donation records, it flagged which ones might be problematic during an audit and gave suggestions on what additional documentation I needed. For donations through family members like yours, it explained exactly why these might not qualify and suggested alternative approaches for the future. The best part was that it helped me understand which of my donations were actually deductible and which weren't, saving me from potentially claiming deductions that could have triggered an audit. Super helpful for sorting through donation rules.

I just tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and wow - it actually solved my donation documentation problems! I uploaded photos of all my donation receipts and it organized everything by donation type and amount. It flagged my Salvation Army donations that were over $250 and reminded me I needed their written acknowledgment, not just the receipt the driver gave me. It also has this cool feature that helps estimate fair market values for clothing and household items based on condition. For anyone struggling with donation documentation like me, it's definitely worth checking out. Saved me from potentially claiming about $400 in donations that wouldn't have stood up in an audit!

If you're having trouble getting documentation for your donations, another option is to call the IRS directly to ask about your specific situation. I know calling the IRS sounds awful (it used to take me days to get through), but I started using https://claimyr.com and it completely changed that experience. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I had questions about documenting some unusual donations last year, they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed for different types of donations and what would happen if I got audited without proper receipts. Honestly, getting clear guidance directly from the IRS gave me peace of mind about what I could safely claim on my return.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to talk to the IRS about some charitable contributions I made to a foreign organization. I've been trying to call the IRS for THREE WEEKS with no luck. Used Claimyr yesterday afternoon, and they got me through to an actual human at the IRS in 35 minutes. The agent explained exactly what documentation I needed for foreign donations and confirmed that giving money to family members who then donate it abroad isn't deductible. Can't believe I wasted so much time trying to call myself. If you need clarification on donation rules directly from the IRS, this is seriously the way to go.

From my experience, if you don't have receipts for donations, you're basically gambling with an audit. My brother claimed about $500 in donations without proper documentation and got audited last year. The IRS disallowed ALL his charitable deductions and he had to pay back taxes plus interest. The documentation requirements get stricter the higher the donation amount. Anything over $500 total in non-cash donations requires filling out Form 8283, and anything over $5000 might even need a professional appraisal. Also, giving stuff to family members to donate in another country definitely doesn't count as a charitable contribution. The donation has to go directly to a qualified organization.

Honestly, for small donation amounts like you're talking about, I wouldn't stress too much. The standard deduction is $13,850 for single filers or $27,700 for married filing jointly for 2023 taxes (filing in 2024). Unless your total itemized deductions (including these donations plus mortgage interest, state taxes, etc.) exceed your standard deduction, you won't even use the donation deduction. Most people don't itemize anymore since the standard deduction increased a few years ago. Maybe calculate whether you'd even benefit from itemizing before worrying about the documentation?

Great point about checking whether you'd even benefit from itemizing! For tax year 2023, the standard deduction is indeed $13,850 for single filers and $27,700 for married filing jointly. @Fiona Sand - before worrying about the documentation issues, add up ALL your potential itemized deductions: state and local taxes (capped at $10,000), mortgage interest, medical expenses over 7.5% of your AGI, and charitable contributions. If that total doesn't exceed your standard deduction amount, then you'd take the standard deduction anyway and the charitable contribution documentation becomes a moot point. That said, if you do end up itemizing, you'll definitely need to remove those donations made through family members as they don't qualify under IRS rules. Only direct donations to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations with proper documentation can be claimed. It's always better to be conservative with deductions you can't properly document - the penalties and interest from an audit aren't worth the small tax savings from questionable deductions.