Giving to charity could help your community and possibly your taxes as well, now. Taxpayers who claim the Standard Deduction—meaning they don’t itemize their deductions — will be able also to claim a Charitable Deduction for cash contributions. This rule does not apply to property contributions made to a charity.

The new deduction amounts are capped at:

  • $1,000 (Single)
  • $2,000 (Married Filing Jointly)

This change came with the One Big Beautiful Bill and will be effective for 2026 tax returns. Only qualified charitable donations will be accepted, and receipts should be kept for personal due diligence or possible verification purposes. To see if an organization qualifies or for more information regarding the new tax law, please refer to: https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc506 or schedule an appointment with us and we would be happy to discuss it in further detail. 

This story was written by Reagan Manning, marketing director of H&R Block in Rome. Manning will be sharing practical tax tips and timely information designed to help taxpayers across Northwest Georgia better understand changes in tax laws, regulations and filing requirements. Through this ongoing series, local readers can find useful information to help them make informed tax decisions and prepare for the upcoming tax season.

H&R Block has been a trusted name in tax preparation for over 70 years. We have been an established branch in Rome for more than half of that time, and a locally owned franchise for almost 20 years. Things shared are from H&R Block corporate, the IRS, or local expertise from an enrolled agent or qualified tax preparer that we feel is important to share locally. We hope to help our community keep up with some of the tax changes and news that occur throughout the year that may impact or help them. Consultation appointments and questions at our Rome locations are always free.