Donate to a charity. Claim your tax credit.
Did you donate to a Canadian registered charity or another qualified donee? You may be eligible for a tax credit.
Claim your tax credit
To claim this charitable tax credit, save your official donation receipts from any registered charities or other qualified donees. Once you have your receipts from all your donations, follow these steps:
Step 1: Calculate the tax credit by calculating the eligible amount of your donations. Usually, this is the amount shown on your charitable donation receipt.
Step 2: Decide how much you want to claim. You can also claim donations made by your spouse or common-law partner. In one tax year, you can claim:
- donations you made between January 1st and December 31st of that year
- any unclaimed donations you made in the last five years
- any unclaimed donations you made in the last ten years that were gifts of ecologically sensitive land made after February 10, 2014
Step 3: Enter the amount on your income tax and benefit return. In general, if you’re filing on paper, enter your claim on line 34900 of your return.
Keep your official donation receipts along with proof of payment such as cancelled cheques, credit card or bank statements, for six years in case the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) asks to see them.
Learn more about a charity
Learn more about a charity before you donate:
- contact the charity directly for more information about its work
- search the CRA’s list of charities for the charity's registration, contact, activities, and financial information
- make an informal information request to the CRA
- make an access to information request to the CRA
For more information on charities and donations, visit canada.ca/charities-donors.
Contacts
Media Relations
Canada Revenue Agency
613-948-8366
cra-arc.media@cra-arc.gc.ca
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