Question 1

What language must be on a tax-deductible donation receipt?

Accepted Answer

IRS guidelines require receipts to state the organization's tax-exempt status (501(c)(3) or equivalent), the amount and date of the donation, whether any goods or services were provided in return, and the value of those goods/services. Issueable includes all required language.

Question 2

How does a donation receipt differ from a regular receipt?

Accepted Answer

Donation receipts include specific IRS language confirming tax-deductible status and the deductible amount. If a donor receives goods or services in return (event tickets, merchandise), the receipt must subtract that value from the deductible amount.

Question 3

Can we track donations by campaign or fund?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Issueable lets you customize receipts with campaign names, fund designations, and donation purposes. Track restricted gifts, endowment contributions, or event-specific donations.

Question 4

When does the IRS require a written acknowledgment?

Accepted Answer

For any single contribution of $250 or more, the IRS requires a contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the charity — that's IRS Pub 1771. The donor needs the acknowledgment before they file their return for that year. Below $250, a bank record (cancelled check or credit card statement) is technically sufficient, but most donors expect and appreciate a receipt regardless of size. Issue receipts for every gift.

Question 5

What are quid pro quo contributions and how do I receipt them?

Accepted Answer

A quid pro quo contribution is one where the donor receives goods or services in return — a $100 gala ticket where dinner is worth $40, for example. The deductible portion is only $60 (the donation portion). The receipt must (1) state the goods or services received, (2) provide a good-faith estimate of their fair-market value, and (3) state that only the excess over that value is deductible. The IRS requires this disclosure in writing whenever the donor pays more than $75 and goods/services are provided.

Question 6

How do I receipt in-kind (non-cash) donations?

Accepted Answer

Describe the donated property in the receipt ("3 boxes of new winter coats, men's and women's sizes") but do NOT assign a dollar value — that's the donor's responsibility, not the charity's. For donations of property worth more than $5,000 the donor needs a qualified appraisal (Form 8283 Section B); your role is just to acknowledge receipt. Issueable's notes section is the right place for the description.

Question 7

Should we issue annual giving statements as well as per-donation receipts?

Accepted Answer

Yes — most established charities do both. Per-donation receipts go out within a few days of each gift; annual giving statements consolidate the year's giving on a single document, typically issued in January for the prior tax year. Donors filing Schedule A appreciate the consolidated statement; the per-donation receipts are the legal record. Issueable can produce either format — change the date range and aggregate the line items for an annual statement.

Question 8

Are donations to international charities tax-deductible?

Accepted Answer

Generally no — only contributions to US-recognized 501(c)(3) organizations are deductible on US returns. There are exceptions: "friends of" US-based charities that re-grant overseas, and a handful of treaty-based exceptions for Canadian, Mexican, and Israeli charities. If you're a US charity granting funds abroad, your donor's gift to YOU is deductible; your subsequent grants don't change that. State this clearly in your receipt: "All contributions to [Org Name], a US 501(c)(3), are deductible to the full extent allowed by law."

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