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December 5, 2012

Survey: Charitable Donations Would Plummet under 'Fiscal Cliff' Solution

Poll suggests nearly 2 in 3 oppose changes to charitable tax deduction.

Melissa Steffan

According to new data from United Way Worldwide, nearly 8 in 10 Americans indicate that they would be forced to reconsider their giving if the tax deduction for charitable donations were eliminated.

In attempts to reach a federal budget deal, both Republican and Democrat lawmakers have raised the possibility of limiting the amount of income that taxpayers can claim as tax-deductible charitable giving. But doing so would negatively impact the organizations that receive those donations, according to the United Way survey.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults suggests that, without a tax deduction, more than 1 in 4 respondents would drastically cut their giving to nonprofit organizations by 50 percent or more. More than 1 in 3 would reduce their donations by at least 25 percent, United Way reported.

In addition, Associated Baptist Press reports that Charitable Giving Coalition representatives are on Capitol Hill this week to lobby Congress and ensure that a federal budget deal "does not eliminate or change the deductibility of charitable gifts."

CT previously has reported on nonprofit opposition to proposed changes of the charitable deduction.

posted by Melissa Steffan | Comments (4)

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Was the poll of 2000 adults limited to people making more than 1 million dollars? Anyone who gives for the sake of giving (rather than as a way to get yourself into a different tax bracket) is not going to be affected - they are only limited the total amount you can deduct as a way of prevent tax evasion.

As a side note, giving money in order to reduce your tax burden shouldn't be called charitable giving anymore; you are giving to help yourself not help charity.

Posted By: Micah | December 6, 2012 1:43 PM

Did charitable donations spike when the now-expiring tax cuts were implemented?

Posted By: DianneA | December 6, 2012 4:03 PM

Well this would certainly test people's mettle. I, for one, would not change my tithing; however, I might reconsider extraneous donations such as animal shelters and medical-research organizations. Small animal shelters spent A LOT OF PRECIOUS TIME & MONEY to attain non-profit status to attract badly needed donations -- this would kill them in more ways than one! Unless govt plans on helping out these necessary volunteer-run organizations, they should keep their fingers out of other folks' pies and leave things alone!

Posted By: Kay Johnson | December 6, 2012 5:27 PM

Micah, you've hit the nail on the head.

Posted By: James | December 10, 2012 12:03 PM

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