December is here, and it’s commonly considered to be the Season of Giving – as well as the final opportunity to make any charitable donations to be deducted on your 2015 taxes. If you plan on making any tax-deductible donations this December, the IRS and your tax attorney want you to bear the following points in mind:

-A charitable contribution will only count as a deduction if you plan to itemize your deductions on your tax return. This means that if you take the standard deduction, charitable contributions will not offset your tax liability. To benefit from itemized deductions, your sum total of deductible expenses (such as mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes paid, etc.) will need to be greater than the amount of the standard deduction.

-Keep a record of your donations. If you are donating money, obtain a bank record or written statement acknowledging the donation. If you are donating clothing or household items, try to obtain a receipt from the charity with a description of the donated property. If it’s an unattended drop-off donation for clothing or household goods, then make your own record of the date, and the fair market value of the goods. Note that any donation over the amount of $250 must have a written acknowledgment from the charity that includes a description of the donation.

-If you’re planning on claiming a tax deduction for a gift given, use the Select Check tool from the IRS to see if the organization qualifies as an eligible charity. However, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and government agencies are automatically considered eligible charities – even if they don’t appear on the list generated by the Select Check tool.

-Donations are deductible in the year that they’re made – regardless of whether or not the check gets cashed or the credit card bill is paid within the same calendar year. For instance, you might make a donation by credit card on December 24^th, 2015 but not pay the statement on which the charges appear until January 15^th, 2016. Even still, the contribution would be deducted on your 2015 tax return.

If you are in need of advice specific to your situation, contact France Law for the advice of an experienced tax attorney. By making the most of what remains in 2015, you can experience less headaches and greater savings when it comes to pay your taxes in 2016!