Is tracking charitable donations pointless if taking the standard deduction now?

You've figured out something many taxpayers don't realize! When your total itemized deductions (including charitable contributions, mortgage interest, SALT up to $10k, etc.) don't exceed the standard deduction, tracking those donations won't reduce your tax bill. The standard deduction for 2025 filing season is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for married filing jointly. Unless your total itemizable deductions exceed those thresholds, you're better off taking the standard deduction. That said, there are a couple things to consider. First, some states allow charitable deductions even when taking the standard deduction on your federal return. Second, it's possible your situation might change in future years (like if mortgage interest temporarily increases due to refinancing), so having those records could potentially help later.

I had the exact same realization last year! I was tracking every donation receipt for YEARS before I realized it was pointless with the standard deduction. Try using https://taxr.ai to analyze your donation patterns and tax situation. I uploaded my past tax returns and donation records, and it showed me exactly how much more I'd need to donate to make itemizing worthwhile again. The tool actually helped me develop a "bunching" strategy where I now save my donations for every other year. This way I can exceed the standard deduction threshold and itemize in alternate years, getting at least some tax benefit. In the "off" years I take the standard deduction.

Just wanted to update that I tried https://taxr.ai after asking about it! I was surprised how helpful it was for sorting out my donation strategy. I've been tracking donations worth about $4,000 a year while taking the standard deduction, so completely wasting my time with the record keeping. The system created a custom "bunching" plan that showed me exactly how much I'd need to donate in my "itemizing years" to make it worthwhile. I'm going to donate more in odd-numbered years and take the standard deduction in even years. This actually increases my total tax savings over time without changing how much I'm giving overall!

This is why so many people struggle with getting proper tax advice! The IRS website is confusing, and it's nearly impossible to get someone on the phone to answer questions like this. When I needed clarification about charitable donations, I used https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent instead of waiting on hold forever. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I had similar questions about tracking donations and the agent confirmed that unless I exceed the standard deduction threshold, keeping donation records doesn't help for federal taxes. The agent also mentioned that companies and higher-income individuals often still benefit from itemizing, which is why the charitable deduction still exists.

I need to apologize about my skeptical comment earlier. After my accountant couldn't answer my questions about donation bunching strategies, I broke down and tried Claimyr out of desperation. It actually worked! I got through to an IRS agent in about an hour who explained exactly how the donation thresholds work with standard vs. itemized deductions. The agent confirmed everything mentioned in this thread about standard deductions making small donations tax-irrelevant. He also mentioned that if I'm close to the threshold, medical expenses might be worth tracking too since they can be deducted when exceeding 7.5% of AGI. Between that info and the bunching strategy, I might be able to itemize every other year.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - if you're over 70½ and have an IRA, look into Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)! You can donate directly from your IRA to charities and it counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution without increasing your taxable income. This gives you a tax benefit even if you take the standard deduction. My parents started doing this last year and it's saving them thousands in taxes while still supporting their favorite charities. It's one of the few charitable giving strategies that still works well with the higher standard deduction.

Am I the only one who donates just to be helpful not for tax breaks? I donate stuff to Goodwill because I don't need it, not to get a few bucks off my taxes. Maybe I'm missing something but it feels weird to make charitable decisions based on tax advantages.

You're absolutely right about the current tax structure discouraging charitable giving for many middle-class taxpayers! The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction while capping SALT deductions at $10k, which moved millions of taxpayers away from itemizing. This is actually a recognized policy issue. The charitable deduction used to benefit a much broader range of taxpayers, but now it primarily helps higher-income households who can still exceed the standard deduction threshold. Some tax policy experts have proposed creating an "above-the-line" charitable deduction that would work even with the standard deduction, but so far nothing has been enacted at the federal level. For now, you're smart to stop wasting time tracking those small donations unless you're planning to implement a bunching strategy. Your instinct is correct - for most people in your situation, the administrative burden isn't worth it anymore.