For many donors, tax benefits are an added incentive to give. With recent changes to federal tax laws, now’s the time to review how 2026 charitable deduction rules could impact your finances and explore potential tax advantages you can maximize when you give before year-end.
Whether you take the standard deduction or itemize, here’s what you need to know as you plan your charitable giving for the remainder of 2026.
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For Non-Itemizers: New Opportunities to Benefit from Your Generosity
For the 2026 tax year, you may be eligible to deduct certain charitable gifts even if you don’t itemize your deductions. Non-itemizing single filers may deduct up to $1,000 in qualifying cash contributions, while married couples filing jointly may deduct up to $2,000.
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- What this means for you: In recent years, higher standard deductions have meant fewer taxpayers itemize their deductions, making charitable tax deductions unavailable to many donors. The new provision allows more people to receive a tax benefit for supporting the nonprofits and causes they care about. If you’ve been thinking about giving but haven’t been sure how or where to start, this tax benefit may be an opportunity to jump-start your charitable planning. Learn about our giving priorities and see how you can make an impact.
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For Itemizers: Strategies to Maximize Your Tax Savings
If you’re a taxpayer who itemizes, read on to learn how new rules may impact your 2026 charitable deduction strategy.
For the 2026 tax year, itemized charitable deductions generally apply only to contributions that exceed 0.5% of a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI). For example, those with an AGI of $100,000 would need charitable contributions above $500 before receiving a deduction for the excess amount.
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- What this means for you: For tax advantages, some donors explore whether consolidating gifts into a single larger contribution makes sense for their situation. It might be worth a conversation with your advisor!
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Give Through Your Donor Advised Fund
If you have a Donor Advised Fund, use it to make a difference for local patients and families. When you recommend a grant from your DAF to the Sanford Health Foundation, 100% of your gift will make an impact on people in our community who are navigating a health journey right now. Learn more.
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The Sanford Health Foundation is here to help you amplify your philanthropic impact and maximize tax advantages through tax-smart giving options. We can even work with your professional advisor to share more information, provide illustrations and explore more giving options.
*This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or tax advice. Consult your tax advisor to determine how tax laws impact your situation.