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President Donald Trump<\/a>‘s “big beautiful bill” includes trillions of dollars of tax breaks<\/a>, including a new charitable deduction<\/a> for most filers \u2014 and there’s an easy way to maximize it, experts say.<\/p>\n When filing taxes, you claim the greater of your itemized tax breaks or the standard deduction. But 90% of filers<\/a> don’t itemize, according to the latest IRS data, which means they can’t take the charitable deduction.<\/p>\n This changes in 2026 with a new charitable tax break for non-itemizers, worth up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. The deduction only applies to cash gifts.<\/p>\n “This is a big deal,” said Justin Miller, partner and national director of wealth planning at Evercore Wealth Management.<\/p>\n More from Personal Finance:<\/strong> Trump’s new charitable deduction is similar to a temporary measure enacted during the pandemic<\/a>, which was worth up to $300 for single filers or $600 for joint filers for 2021. Roughly 48 million filers<\/a> claimed that deduction on their 2021 returns, according to IRS data.<\/p>\n With a bigger charitable deduction coming for non-itemizers in 2026, here are some key things to know, according to financial experts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If you don’t itemize deductions and plan on making a smaller year-end charitable gift this year, you might reconsider the timing if there is flexibility, experts say.<\/p>\n “It seems like a no-brainer to just do it in January and capture a little benefit that you wouldn’t otherwise achieve,” said certified financial planner Edward Jastrem, chief planning officer at Heritage Financial Services in Westwood, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n By donating funds in 2026 rather than 2025, you could be eligible for the new charitable deduction for non-itemizers. Of course, you should consider whether it aligns with your overall financial planning strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “I would caution all taxpayers claiming these deductions that they still need to keep appropriate records,” Miller said.<\/p>\n Gifts of any amount require a bank record or written receipt from the organization, including the charity name, amount and date of the contribution, according to the IRS<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you donate $250 or more, you need what’s known as a “contemporaneous written acknowledgement<\/a>,” or CWA, with further detail from the organization.<\/p>\n
Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ and other changes benefit ABLE accounts<\/a>
Fed holds interest rates steady: Here’s what that means for your money<\/a>
Senate introduces bill for tariff rebate checks after Trump suggestion<\/a><\/p>\nThis giving strategy is a ‘no-brainer’<\/h2>\n
You need a ‘written acknowledgement’<\/h2>\n