Volunteering is its own reward, but paying less in taxes is the icing on the cake. Just as charitable donations are tax-deductible, so too are expenses you accrue while volunteering. These can include everything from out of pocket expenses to gas mileage.<\/p>\n
When it comes to giving of your time and resources, there are many different ways you can go about deducting volunteer expenses. While it can be a little tricky, we\u2019ll help guide you through every deduction you\u2019re entitled to.<\/p>\n
Volunteer work comes in many forms. Anything from helping out at an afterschool program, to driving around senior citizens, to picking up litter on the side of the road\u2014any work for a qualifying organization for which you don\u2019t get paid all counts as volunteer work. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you start claiming volunteer deductions.<\/p>\n
The first thing you need to do is make sure you\u2019re volunteering with a qualifying organization.<\/p>\n
While volunteering in any shape or form is a great way to give back to your community, only work done through certain organizations qualify for volunteer deductions.<\/p>\n
These organizations are typically classified as 501(c) and can include churches, non-profits, social and fraternal orders, veteran\u2019s clubs, and many others. If you\u2019re unsure whether or not the organization has tax-exempt status, simply ask the organization its status or search the extensive database at irs.gov.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve established you\u2019re working with a qualifying organization, there are many different volunteer deductions you can take for your work.<\/p>\n
Certain transportation and travel expenses can be deducted from your taxes.<\/p>\n
Deductible transportation expenses include gas or mileage (you can use a standard rate of 14 cents\/mile instead of actual expenses), parking fees, tolls, and public transit fare.<\/p>\n
In addition, travel expenses including air, train, or bus fare, hotel accommodations, and meals may be deductible if you are on duty in a genuine and substantial sense throughout the trip.<\/p>\n