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January 26, 2010

Donations to Haiti

Donations made to Haiti may be deducted in 2009 under certain circumstances even if the donation was made in 2010. The contributions must be for the relief of victims in areas affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.

The donation must be made after Jan 11 and before Mar 1, 2010.

The donation must be made to qualified charities and can not be designated for the benefit of specific individuals or families.

The contribution must be in cash. That includes contributions made by text message, check, credit card or debit card.

You must itemize your deductions in order to claim these donations on your tax return. You have the option of taking the donation on your 2009 or 2010 tax return but not both.

You are still required to keep proper records of your donation. For donations made by text message, a telephone bill will meet the record keeping requirement as long as it shows the name of the organization, the date and the amount given.