Give "Green" to Keep Clinton County Green - End of Year Giving Tips

CLINTON COUNTY OPEN LANDS, INC. invites you to consider helping your favorite

Clinton County Green Alliance organization with a charitable gift.  Preserving our local green heritage -- farmland, natural areas, waterways -- is essential to a healthy, prosperous and enjoyable quality life for all us now and for future generations.  Healthy communities enjoy healthy environments.  Clinton County Green Alliance member organizations are  working toward this goal.

Donations to Clinton County Open Lands, Inc. will be used for the perpetual stewardship of our preserved properties (farms and natural areas).  Donations may be mailed to CCOL, P.O. Box 95, Wilmington, OH 45177 or to the Clinton County Foundation, c/o National Bank &Trust, 48 N. South Street, Wilmington, OH  45177 (put "CCOL Stewardship Fund" in memo line).  Call CCOL Board Member Laura Curliss with questions at 513-600-7171.  CCOL will send to you a gift acknowledgement letter for your tax records.  Thank you for considering a "green" gift to preserve our green heritage now and for future generations.

IRS Tips for Donations to Charities Guidelines for Monetary Donations To deduct any charitable donation of money, regardless of amount, a taxpayer must have a bank record or a written communication from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Bank records include canceled checks, bank or credit union statements, and credit card statements. Bank or credit union statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the amount paid. Credit card statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the transaction posting date. Donations of money include those made in cash or by check, electronic funds transfer, credit card and payroll deduction. For payroll deductions, the taxpayer should retain a pay stub, a Form W-2 wage statement or other document furnished by the employer showing the total amount withheld for charity, along with the pledge card showing the name of the charity. These requirements for the deduction of monetary donations do not change the long-standing requirement that a taxpayer obtain an acknowledgment from a charity for each deductible donation (either money or property) of $250 or more. However, one statement containing all of the required information may meet both requirements. Reminders To help taxpayers plan their holiday-season and year-end giving, the IRS offers the following additional reminders: Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2009 count for 2009. This is true even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2010. Also, checks count for 2009 as long as they are mailed in 2009 and clear, shortly thereafter. Check that the organization is qualified. Only donations to qualified organizations are tax-deductible. IRS Publication 78, available online and at many public libraries, lists most organizations that are qualified to receive deductible contributions. The searchable online version can be found at IRS.gov under Search for Charities. In addition, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies are eligible to receive deductible donations, even if they are not listed in Publication 78. For individuals, only taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A can claim deductions for charitable contributions. This deduction is not available to individuals who choose the standard deduction, including anyone who files a short form (Form 1040A or 1040EZ). A taxpayer will have a tax savings only if the total itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes, etc.) exceed the standard deduction. Use the 2009 Form 1040 Schedule A to determine whether itemizing is better than claiming the standard deduction. For all donations of property, including clothing and household items, get from the charity, if possible, a receipt that includes the name of the charity, date of the contribution, and a reasonably-detailed description of the donated property. If a donation is left at a charity’s unattended drop site, keep a written record of the donation that includes this information, as well as the fair market value of the property at the time of the donation and the method used to determine that value. Additional rules apply for a contribution of $250 or more. The deduction for a motor vehicle, boat or airplane donated to charity is usually limited to the gross proceeds from its sale. This rule applies if the claimed value is more than $500. Form 1098-C, or a similar statement, must be provided to the donor by the organization and attached to the donor’s tax return. If the amount of a taxpayer’s deduction for all noncash contributions is over $500, a properly-completedForm 8283 must be submitted with the tax return.