Many Americans show their support for their preferred political candidate by voting for or donating to the candidate’s political party. If you’re wondering if your financial contribution to a political campaign affects your taxes in any way, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know about tax deductible contributions for political campaigns.
Are Political Contributions Tax Deductible for Businesses?
In short, yes. However, businesses are cautioned against deducting political contributions, donations, or payments on their tax returns.
Can I Deduct My Expenses If I Volunteer for a Political Campaign?
For those who volunteer for a political candidate, campaign, or political action committee, the time you volunteer will not be considered a tax deductible donation when filing your taxes.
Is it Considered a Tax Deduction When Supporting a Presidential Campaign?
When filing your taxes, you have the option to set aside $3 of your taxes to go towards the Presidential Election Campaign Fund when you complete your 1040 federal income tax return form. You can check the box to donate the funds and it will not affect your taxes or deductions.
Are There Limits to Political Contributions?
Taxpayers wanting to support a political candidate or party can contribute the following amounts:
- Up to $2,800 per candidate and election.
- Up to $10,000 to state, district, and local parties combined each year.
- Up to $106,500 to a national political party, per account, and per year.
Are there any Political Donations that are Tax Deductible?
To qualify, you must be a registered non-profit organization that operates as a true charity to take a tax deduction for the donation.
If you volunteer, give cash or non-cash items to a 501(c)(3) organization, your donation may be a qualified tax-deductible charitable contribution. To confirm if the organization you gave a donation to is a 501(c)(3) organization, you can use the Tax-Exempt Organization Search Tool from the IRS.
Optima Tax Relief provides assistance to individuals struggling with unmanageable IRS tax burdens. To assess your tax situation and determine if you qualify for tax relief, contact us for a free consultation.