Charitable contributions can be confusing! Consult your tax preparer for record keeping details.

General record keeping requirements apply. Include the name of the charitable organization with the date and location of the donation and a reasonable detailed description of the donation. It is not necessary to have a receipt if obtaining one would be difficult such as donation drop-off sites, or for a church-plate offering.

The taxpayer must have an acknowledgement from the qualified organization showing the name and address of the organization, the date of the contribution, and a description of the property. The acknowledgement must state whether the taxpayer received any goods or services in return for the donation.

The taxpayer is required to obtain the same records as stated in the previous category along with how the taxpayer originally obtained the property and the approximate date it was obtained, the cost or other basis and any adjustments to the basis of property held 12 months or more (except publicly traded securities). If this cannot be met, a statement of explanation must be attached to the return.