Very small donation and taxes question

[Anonymous]

I was asked to donate some art I created to benefit the high school I graduated from. I bought a small frame ($25), shipped it back to my hometown, and the piece was auctioned off at $50. It occurred to me that the frame, at least, would be tax-deductible, but I have had zero luck getting any sort of receipt or proof that I participated from the woman who organized the auction, and I am reluctant to claim any sort of deduction like that without proof. Clearly I am still in the phase of my life where that time and money matter to me. Is it just lost money?

[Anonymous]

I think you know the answer; the options are--

you get documentation from someone else (is there any evidence of the auction that mentions you-- even a facebook post you could print out, plus a receipt for materials?)

you take the deduction without documentation from anyone else (although if you have proof of what you spent, and you have/make some record you made something for them maybe that's not so bad for a $25 donation)

you let it go (which wouldn't cost you $25-- if your marginal combined state and federal tax rate is 25% that would "cost" you $6.25)

[Anonymous]

Do you itemize, op? If you take the standard deduction, then this doesn't matter. I can explain further if this doesn't make sense. I don't want to insult you if you are already well versed in the rules .

[Anonymous]

We're all the requests made verbally, or do you have email or a letter or something where they asked you to make a donation? How do you know how much it was auctioned for?

If you have any written communications, I'd just print it out and keep it with your tax documents. Otherwise, well, I always keep all my donation receipts and have never been asked for them in the ten years I've been itemizing my deductions. The odds you'll be asked for them are pretty low.

[Anonymous]

I would spend $1.30 and send a certified letter to the person you worked with explaining that you need a donation receipt for the amount of $50 for the fair market value of the donated piece of art.

Then file the certified letter with your tax documentation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you itemize, op? If you take the standard deduction, then this doesn't matter. I can explain further if this doesn't make sense. I don't want to insult you if you are already well versed in the rules .

This. Unless you have substantial donations, medical expenses or other deductions to itemize, don't bother.