Three changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reshape giving for tax year 2026. This is general information, not tax advice.
Charitable donation tax deduction calculator 2026: the three rules
First, people who take the standard deduction can deduct up to $1,000 in cash gifts ($2,000 married filing jointly). Second, itemizers can deduct only gifts above 0.5% of adjusted gross income. Third, for people in the 37% bracket, the tax value of itemized deductions is capped at 35 cents per dollar.
Charitable deduction for non-itemizers 2026
The IRS says the deduction covers cash contributions to eligible charities made during the year. Gifts to donor-advised funds and supporting organizations do not qualify, and neither do non-cash gifts such as clothing or stock. The amounts are not indexed to inflation.
0.5% AGI floor charitable deduction
With $80,000 of AGI the floor is $400, so only gifts beyond that count if you itemize. A couple with $300,000 of AGI would deduct only donations above $1,500. For many people the floor makes itemizing less attractive than the standard deduction.
Charitable giving and the standard deduction in 2026
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, per IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. A single filer with $80,000 of AGI who gives $1,500 gets a $1,000 extra deduction, which is about $220 of federal tax saved in the 22% bracket.
Giving Tuesday tax deduction: timing
Giving Tuesday falls on December 1, 2026. Gifts must be made by December 31 to count for the 2026 tax year.
Sources: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and IRS newsroom (2026 standard deduction and brackets); IRS.gov Working Families Tax Cuts provisions; Fidelity Charitable, "Charitable giving tax changes".