You must have a hard copy receipt for every single dollar you contribute to a church or charity in order to claim a tax deduction on Schedule A. Charitable contribution deductions will not be allowed for any monetary contributions by cash or check unless the donor maintains a record of the contribution. The record must be in the form of:
- an actual cancelled check
- a bank record (i.e. a copy of the front of the check included on your monthly bank statement)
- an entry on a bank or credit card statement indicating a credit or debit card charge
- a written communication from the donee showing the name of the donee organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution.
Here is a great KIP TIP from Cameron Huddleston, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com, regarding monitoring your elderly parents’ mail.