What are the Different Tax Deductions for Volunteer Work?
Although in the United States the IRS does allow some tax deductions for volunteer work, you cannot actually deduct the value of your time. However, you can deduct certain other expenses, such as car expenses or mileage, travel expenses, the cost of purchasing and cleaning required uniforms, and the costs associated with caring for a child selected by a charity.
First of all, though, it is important to note that these tax deductions for volunteer work only apply if the organization you volunteered at qualifies as a charity under the IRS’s definition. Organizations that qualify include:
- Churches and other religious organizations
- Nonprofit charitable organizations, such as Goodwill
- Nonprofit educational organizations, such as museums
- Nonprofit hospitals or organizations for conducting medical research
- Public parks
If the organization you volunteered for falls into one of these categories, you may be eligible for the tax deductions for volunteer work. An organization should know if it qualifies, so you may want to ask for the appropriate documentation when you do your volunteer work.
Unfortunately, the value of your time is not one of the tax deductions for volunteer work that you can claim. For instance, if you volunteer to write a press release for a qualifying nonprofit, you cannot claim your normal fees as a tax deduction. However, in general you can claim certain expenses related to your volunteer work, such as car expenses, travel expenses, uniform expenses, and a few others.
For instance, if you drive 30 miles each way to volunteer at a qualifying animal rescue, you can elect to deduct either the expenses directly related to that commute, or the mileage you drive multiplied by the standard mileage deduction. In 2009 the standard mileage deduction was 14 cents per mile, so that 60 mile round trip would mean that you could deduct $8.40 US Dollars (USD) for every time you volunteer at the rescue. Alternatively, you could figure out the exact expenses and deduct those.
Travel expenses are also deductible when they pertain to volunteer work. For instance, if you are involved in animal rescue or are an expert such as a vet or trainer, and you travel in order to volunteer your services after a puppy mill is shut down, you can deduct travel expenses such as the cost of plane or bus fare, car expenses if you drive, lodgings for overnight stays, and meals. However, these expenses are only considered to be tax deductions for volunteer work if the majority of the time is spent volunteering.
Additionally, some other expenses related to volunteer work are tax deductible. If you are required to buy a uniform for volunteering in, and the uniform is not something you can wear outside of work, you can deduct the cost of buying and cleaning the uniform. Additionally, if you care for a child that has been placed with you by an organization — meaning that you did not have any choice in the child — you can deduct any related expenses that you are not reimbursed for.
Written by Katharine Swan
