Your Gift Now Comes With a Tax Break,
Even If You Don't Itemize
For years, most people who gave to charity got nothing back at tax time. That changed this year. Starting in 2026, a new federal rule lets you deduct your charitable gifts even if you take the standard deduction. Here’s what that means for you and why it matters for Greenville County.
What Changed
Until now, you could only deduct gifts to charity if you itemized your taxes. Most people don’t. They take the standard deduction, so their donations never counted on their return.
The 2025 federal tax bill fixed that. Starting with your 2026 taxes:
- Single filers can deduct up to $1,000 in cash gifts to charity.
- Married couples filing jointly can deduct up to $2,000.
- You get this on top of the standard deduction. No itemizing needed.
What Counts
- Cash gifts to qualifying charities like United Way of Greenville County. That includes gifts by card, check, online or through payroll giving at work.
- Gifts made by Dec. 31, 2026 count toward your 2026 taxes, which you’ll file in early 2027.
- Gifts to donor-advised funds don’t count toward this deduction. Neither do donated items like clothes or household goods.
what it
looks like
Say a married couple gives $50 a month to United Way. That’s $600 a year. Under the old rules, they got nothing back for it. Now they can deduct the full $600. If they’re in the 12% tax bracket, that’s about $72 back at tax time.
Small gifts add up, and now they come with a thank-you from the IRS.
What does your gift really cost?
Plug in what you give and see how much could come back to you at tax time.
$1,000
you give this year
$220
back in federal taxes*
$780
what it really costs you
*Estimate for donors who take the standard deduction. Counts cash gifts made directly to qualifying charities in 2026, up to $1,000 for single filers or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Gifts to donor-advised funds don’t qualify. Federal taxes only. This isn’t tax advice, so please talk with your tax advisor.
Why Dec. 31 matters
This is the first year the deduction exists. Every gift you make between now and Dec. 31 can count toward your 2026 return. If you’ve been thinking about giving, or giving a little more, this is the year it pays off for you too.
if you itemize
If you itemize, the rules shifted the other way a bit:
- Only the part of your giving above 0.5% of your adjusted gross income is deductible. If your income is $100,000, the first $500 you give doesn’t count toward your deduction.
- For donors in the top tax bracket, each dollar given is now worth up to 35 cents in tax savings, down from 37.
- Gifts made directly from an IRA (qualified charitable distributions) for donors 70½ and older aren’t affected by the new floor.
If you give at higher levels, talk with your financial advisor about how to time your gifts.
Why this matters for United Way
Most of our donors don’t itemize. That means most of the people who give to United Way of Greenville County have never gotten a tax benefit for it. Now they do.
Your gift helps working families in Greenville County who earn too much to qualify for help but still can’t keep up with the cost of housing, food, child care and transportation. When giving gets easier, more families get the support they need to stay steady.
Give by Dec. 31
Make your gift to United Way of Greenville County before the year ends and put this new tax break to work.
This post is for general information only and isn’t tax advice. Talk with a tax professional about your situation.