IRS advice for giving to Japan quake relief funds
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The Internal Revenue Service is already out with a bulletin on tax advice for people who wish to make contributions to relief agencies and organizations helping Japanese earthquake victims.
First, consult Disaster Relief -- Resources for Charities and Contributors on IRS.gov to get information about how to provide assistance to victims through a charitable organization.
Contributions to domestic tax-exempt charitable organizations that provide assistance to individuals in foreign lands qualify as tax-deductible contributions for federal income tax purposes, provided that the U.S. organization has control and discretion over the use of funds.
Donors should ensure that they make contributions to qualified charities. Use the Search for Charities function on IRS.gov to see if the charity you intend to support is a qualified charity.
Check to see if certain organizations, such as churches or governmental organizations, may be qualified to accept charitable contributions, even though they are not listed.
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-- Jerry Hirsch
Twitter.com / LATimesJerry
