Charity Tax Deduction Calculator
Enter your AGI, gift type, and filing status to see your deductible amount, the AGI limit that applies, and your estimated tax savings — updated for the 2026 rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
What changed for charitable deductions in 2026
If you last checked how charitable deductions worked before this year, the rules have genuinely moved. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduced two changes for tax year 2026 that affect almost every donor: a new 0.5% of AGI floor for itemizers, and a brand-new above-the-line deduction for people who take the standard deduction. Neither of these existed for 2025 and earlier returns, which is why a lot of older calculators and articles you'll find online are now out of date.
This calculator applies both 2026 rules automatically, alongside the long-standing AGI percentage limits — 60% for cash to public charities, 30% for appreciated stock and property — so you get a number that actually reflects current law rather than the pre-2026 framework.
The two big 2026 rule changes, explained simply
The 0.5% AGI floor (itemizers)
Disallowed amount = AGI × 0.5%
If your AGI is $200,000, the first $1,000 of your giving for the year doesn't count toward your deduction at all. Only the amount above that floor is deductible. This floor applies to all charitable giving combined — cash, property, public charities, and private foundations alike.
The non-itemizer deduction (new for 2026)
Up to $1,000 single / $2,000 married filing jointly
For the first time, taking the standard deduction doesn't mean zero benefit from giving. Cash gifts to qualifying public charities — not donor-advised funds, not private foundations — now get this fixed above-the-line deduction, on top of your standard deduction.
Two other 2026 details matter for bigger donors. First, the 60% of AGI cap on cash gifts to public charities, which used to be a temporary rule under the 2017 tax law, is now permanent — no more wondering if it will revert to 50%. Second, taxpayers in the top 37% federal bracket have the value of all itemized deductions, charitable giving included, effectively capped at a 35% benefit rather than their full marginal rate.
2026 charitable deduction AGI limits by gift type
| Gift Type | Recipient | AGI Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | Public charity | 60% of AGI (permanent) |
| Appreciated stock / property (1+ yr) | Public charity | 30% of AGI |
| Cash | Private foundation | 30% of AGI |
| Appreciated stock / property | Private foundation | 20% of AGI |
Anything you give above the applicable limit in a single year isn't lost — it carries forward and can still be deducted over the following five tax years. This is one reason advisors often recommend spreading very large one-time gifts, like the proceeds from selling a business, across the giving itself and the deduction timeline separately.
Worked examples under the 2026 rules
Itemizer, $120,000 AGI, $6,000 cash gift
0.5% AGI floor = $600. Deductible = $6,000 − $600 = $5,400. Well under the 60% AGI cap ($72,000), so no carryforward. At a 24% marginal rate, that's roughly $1,296 in tax savings.
Non-itemizer, single, $800 cash gift
Below the $1,000 non-itemizer cap, so the full $800 is deductible above-the-line — a benefit that didn't exist for this filer before 2026, since standard-deduction filers previously got nothing for charitable giving.
Itemizer, $90,000 AGI, $1,500 cash gift
0.5% AGI floor = $450. Deductible = $1,500 − $450 = $1,050. A meaningfully smaller deduction than pre-2026 rules would have given for the same gift — the floor disproportionately affects modest, AGI-relative donations.
High earner, $400,000 AGI, $150,000 appreciated stock
30% AGI cap = $120,000. 0.5% floor = $2,000. Deductible this year = $120,000 − $2,000 = $118,000. The remaining $30,000 above the cap carries forward up to five years.
Should you itemize or take the new non-itemizer deduction?
For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. If your charitable giving, combined with other itemizable expenses like mortgage interest and state and local taxes (capped at $40,400 for 2026), exceeds that threshold, itemizing typically wins. If it doesn't, the new non-itemizer deduction still gives you something — up to $1,000 or $2,000 — for cash gifts to public charities, even on the standard deduction.
A strategy called "bunching" has become more relevant under the new 0.5% floor: combining two or three years of planned giving into a single tax year, often through a donor-advised fund, to clear both the itemizing threshold and minimize how much of your giving falls under the floor relative to a single year's AGI.
More finance calculators on CalcMora
Charitable planning rarely happens in isolation from the rest of your financial picture. If part of your giving comes from selling appreciated crypto, the crypto profit calculator helps you work out your gain first, which matters since donating the asset directly rather than cashing out first is often the more tax-efficient move under the appreciated property rules above. If you're deciding between a straightforward cash gift and an in-kind donation, the discount calculator can help you compare the real cost of a purchase you're donating against its fair market value. Investors funding their giving from portfolio income might also use the dividend yield calculator to plan which holdings to draw from without disrupting their income stream. For those mapping giving into a broader early-retirement plan, the FAT FIRE calculator shows how consistent charitable contributions affect a long-term savings trajectory. And if your income comes from self-employment, the freelance rate calculator can help you figure out your effective AGI for the year before running it through the deduction limits above.
Charity tax deduction calculator — FAQ
What is the new 0.5% AGI floor for charitable deductions in 2026?
Starting in tax year 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) requires itemizers to subtract 0.5% of their adjusted gross income from their total charitable giving before any of it counts as a deduction. If your AGI is $200,000, the first $1,000 of donations is not deductible — only the amount above that floor counts. This floor did not exist for 2025 and earlier tax years.
Can I deduct charitable donations if I take the standard deduction?
For 2025 and earlier, no — charitable deductions only applied if you itemized. Starting in 2026, the OBBBA introduces a new above-the-line deduction for non-itemizers: up to $1,000 for single filers or $2,000 for married filing jointly, for cash donations to qualifying public charities. This is on top of your standard deduction, not a replacement for it, and it does not apply to donor-advised funds or private foundations.
What is the AGI limit for cash donations to charity?
Cash donations to public charities are deductible up to 60% of your adjusted gross income, a limit the OBBBA made permanent after years of it being a temporary provision. Donations above that limit in a single year don't disappear — they carry forward and can be deducted over the following five tax years.
What is the AGI limit for donating stock or appreciated property?
Long-term appreciated property, including stock held more than one year, is deductible at fair market value up to 30% of your AGI when given to a public charity. Gifts to private foundations are capped lower, generally at 30% for cash and 20% for appreciated property. Donating appreciated stock instead of cash can let you avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation while still deducting the full market value, subject to these limits.
Why is my charitable deduction worth less if I'm in the top tax bracket?
Under the OBBBA, taxpayers in the 37% federal income tax bracket have the value of all itemized deductions, including charitable giving, effectively capped at a 35% benefit rather than the full 37% marginal rate. This applies to single filers above roughly $640,600 and married couples filing jointly above roughly $768,700 in taxable income for 2026. It's a modest reduction, but worth factoring into large gift planning.
What happens if my donation exceeds the AGI percentage limit?
Any amount above the applicable AGI percentage limit isn't lost — it carries forward for up to five tax years, after which any unused portion expires. This carryforward rule applies whether you hit the 60% cash limit, the 30% appreciated property limit, or the lower private foundation limits, and it's one reason large one-time gifts are often planned across multiple tax years.
Should I itemize or take the standard deduction if I give to charity?
Add up your charitable giving alongside other itemizable expenses like mortgage interest and state and local taxes (capped at $40,400 for 2026). If that total exceeds the standard deduction — $16,100 for single filers or $32,200 for married filing jointly in 2026 — itemizing typically saves you more. If it falls short, the new non-itemizer deduction still gives you some benefit for cash gifts, and a strategy called 'bunching' multiple years of giving into one tax year can help you clear the itemizing threshold.
This tool is for educational purposes only. Always verify important results with a qualified professional.
