Here
are other important details:
* The
contributions must be made specifically for relief related to the
January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.
* The
contributions must be made to qualified charities, rather than to
specific individuals.
* Only
cash contributions qualify for the earlier 2009 deduction option;
contributions of property or goods do not qualify.
*
Contributions made to foreign charities generally don't qualify.
*
You'll need records to substantiate any deductible donations you
make. But a special easing of the rules will allow you to use your
telephone bill as substantiation for donations made by text
message. The phone bill must show the name of the
organization receiving your donation, the date of the contribution, and
the amount you gave. For other donation methods, you'll need a
bank record or written communication from the charity.
* If
you claim a Haiti
relief deduction on your 2009 return, you may not also claim the
same donation on your 2010 return (which you'll be filing in 2011). To
decide whether to take the deduction on your 2009 or 2010 return,
run the numbers to see which year will give you the bigger tax
savings. For 2009, higher-income taxpayers have a limit on their
total itemized deductions. This limit is eliminated for 2010,
so the deduction could actually provide a bigger tax break if
taken on your 2010 tax return.
