Charitable Deduction

Bipartisan Legislation Creating Universal Charitable Deduction Introduced

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives that will implement a universal charitable deduction. The Charitable Giving Tax Deduction Act, cosponsored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), was introduced May 11 and will allow all Americans to claim a charitable deduction regardless of itemizer status. “Charitable organizations, including churches, […]

ACR News 5.4.18 – JCT’s Bluebook, UBIT Expanded, In-District Meetings

>> Federal: Washington Roundup >> Federal: JCT’s Forthcoming “Bluebook” >> Federal: UBIT Expanded to Include Certain Employee Expenses >> Federal: Universal Charitable Giving Act >> Federal: Meetings with Members of Congress >> Consider This: America’s Disappearing Givers >> Top Reads: Working With Donor-Advised Funds: The Basics Washington Roundup Last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the […]

America’s Givers Are Disappearing

Charitable giving in America has never been just for rich people. Throughout our history, Americans of all walks of life have voluntarily given their time and money to help others, support cherished private institutions, and solve problems in their community. Some of the most generous people, proportionate to their income, have been the working poor. […]

Congress Respects Philanthropy

Last year Congress passed a comprehensive tax reform for the first time in more than 30 years. The law includes significant provisions that should buoy income growth and thus charitable giving. And the tax deduction for charitable contributions—unlike many others—was preserved. The bill also repealed the “Pease limitation,” which since 1991 had reduced the value […]

ACR News 4.13.18 – Keeping up with Washington

>> Federal: Washington Roundup >> Federal: Speaker Ryan to Retire >> Federal: Proposed IRS Changes >> Local: State-level SALT Workarounds >> Federal: Universal Charitable Giving Act >> Consider This: Keeping up with Washington >> Top Reads: A Fading Culture of Giving Washington Roundup Last month, lawmakers passed a $1.3 trillion spending package to fund the government through the end […]

ACR News 3.16.18 – Fixes for Glitches?

>> Federal: Washington Roundup >> Federal: Tax Reform Glitches and More Cuts >> Federal: ACR Summit for Leaders >> Consider This: Mistakes Were Made >> Top Reads: Foundations Fan Out on Capitol Hill to Press Their Case on Taxes and Other Worries Washington Roundup Last month, lawmakers passed a short-term funding package in their two-year budget deal […]

2018 ACR Summit for Leaders Wrap-Up

More than 200 foundation representatives and nonprofit leaders attended the 2018 ACR Summit for Leaders on March 13, our annual policy program held as part of United Philanthropy Forum’s Foundations on the Hill. Coming on the heels of the first comprehensive tax reform legislation in over three decades, attendees were anxious to hear from leaders […]

ACR News 2.23.18 – More States Considering SALT Workarounds, Continued Support for Universal Charitable Deduction

>> Federal: Washington Roundup >> Federal: Universal Charitable Giving Act >> Local: State-level SALT Workarounds >> Invitation: ACR Summit for Leaders >> Consider This: How About Never? >> Top Reads: Outlook for 2018-19 Charitable Giving Mixed Washington Roundup Earlier this month lawmakers passed a bipartisan budget deal that would lift spending levels for defense and non-defense programs over […]

Who’s SALTy? A Roundup of the States Trying to Use “Charitable” Donations as SALT Deduction Cap Workarounds

As states inch closer to implementing policies using the charitable deduction as an avenue to skirt the new cap on the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT), a recent opinion piece by Suzanne Garment and Leslie Lenkowsky in The Chronicle of Philanthropy details the importance of treating philanthropic contributions and government money as two […]