Can I deduct donations of my time to charitable organizations?
Answer: No, you cannot deduct the value of your time or services. If you are donating your time to a nonprofit, you can deduct your mileage (at the charitable rate of 14 cents per mile) and any out of pocket expenses associated with the services you’re providing to the nonprofit. Keep in mind these volunteer expenses count as charitable contributions, so they’re only deductible if you itemize, and any single donation of $250 or more needs a written acknowledgment from the charity. Starting in 2026, itemized charitable deductions only count to the extent they exceed 0.5% of your adjusted gross income, and non-itemizers get a new deduction of up to $1,000 ($2,000 for joint filers) for cash gifts to charity. You can read the official IRS publication on charitable contributions here: Publication 526 – Charitable Contributions
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