Made a $650 charity donation but don't have an official receipt - can I still deduct it?

Thanks for the detailed response. Do I need to get this receipt before I actually file my taxes, or can I claim the deduction now and then get the receipt later if I'm ever audited? And what exactly needs to be on this receipt from the charity for it to count as valid documentation?

Technically, you should have the proper documentation in hand before claiming the deduction on your return. The official receipt needs to include: the charity's name, donation amount, date of contribution, and a statement that either no goods or services were provided in exchange or a description and estimated value of what was provided. If you claim it without proper documentation and are audited, you could face having the deduction disallowed plus potential penalties. That said, if you're absolutely certain it was a legitimate charity (verify its 501(c)(3) status on the IRS website), the PayPal receipt shows the exact organization name, and you've documented your attempts to get proper acknowledgment, you might decide the risk is acceptable.

Does taxr.ai only help with charitable donations or can it look at other tax documents too? I've got a bunch of 1099 forms this year and I'm not sure if I'm classifying everything correctly.

I'm kinda skeptical about using AI for tax stuff. How does it actually work? Like does it just read the documents or does it give actual tax advice? And are you sure it's secure to upload financial docs to some random website?

It handles all kinds of tax documents beyond just charitable donations! I've used it for 1099s too and it helped identify potential deductions I was missing. It can review pretty much any tax form or receipt you upload. Regarding security - I had the same concerns initially. They use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. It's not giving tax advice like a CPA would - it's more like a document reviewer that flags potential issues and helps organize everything. The site explains they use the same security protocols as major financial institutions. You can also try it with just one document first if you're nervous about uploading everything.

How much does this service cost? Seems kind of weird to pay just to talk to the IRS when it should be free to contact them anyway.

I don't buy it. No way they can get you through to the IRS that quickly when everyone says it takes hours or even days of trying. Sounds like a scam to me. Has anyone else actually verified this works?

There's no cost information I can share here, but what I can tell you is that when you factor in the value of your time and the frustration of repeated failed attempts, it was absolutely worth it for me. They're not charging you to talk to the IRS - they're charging for the service of navigating the phone system and waiting on hold so you don't have to. It's definitely not a scam. I was super skeptical too, but it genuinely works. They use a combination of technology and actual people to navigate the IRS phone tree and secure your place in line. Then they call you when they've reached an agent. You're still talking directly to the IRS - Claimyr just handles the painful waiting part. I was able to get clear guidance on my documentation situation in a single phone call after weeks of uncertainty.

Is there a minimum donation amount where you need the official receipt? Like what if it was just $50 instead of $650? Do the rules change?

Yes, the rules do change based on the donation amount. For donations under $250, a bank record, paypal receipt, or canceled check is generally sufficient documentation. The IRS only requires the official written acknowledgment from the charity itself when your donation is $250 or more. For smaller donations like $50, your PayPal receipt would likely be adequate documentation. However, for the $650 donation the original poster mentioned, they would need that official charity acknowledgment to be fully compliant with IRS requirements if audited.

I used TurboTax last year and had a similar issue. There's no specific field for "pending documentation" but I just entered the donation with the info I had. Then I kept all my documentation (emails requesting the receipt, PayPal confirmation, etc.) in a folder in case of audit. Ultimately got the receipt 3 months after filing but at least I had it.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That makes me feel better about moving forward with my return even though I'm still waiting on some documentation. I'll make sure to keep everything organized in case questions come up later.