April 15th has been known as Tax Day in the United States since 1913 when the Sixteenth Amendment (giving Congress the authority to levy income taxes) was ratified. It is the day on which individual citizens must submit their income tax returns to the federal government. Last year, the Covid-19 Pandemic changed that date. Again this year, the pandemic has moved Tax Day, which will be May 17.

As a CPA, I truly understand that for many people, Tax Day isn’t fun or exciting. This year, however, there are special temporary tax law changes that have shaken things up a little for nonprofits like Passaic County CASA and our donors. There are also some surprising ways to donate that will result in additional tax benefits to donors.

These changes make it easier to support nonprofits and the people they serve by giving everyone an extra tax deduction of up to $300 per taxpayer when they donate money to qualifying organizations like Passaic County CASA. This deduction is available for donations made before December 31, 2020 when you file your taxes in 2021, and also for donations you make during 2021 when you file your tax return next year. You can read more about the extra deduction here , and be sure to check with your tax advisor about how this change affects your personal tax situation.

Making a monetary donation to Passaic County CASA is an important way to help our work continue. Every dollar makes it possible for us to help more children who need a caring adult to help them through difficult times.

Donations have a real and tangible impact on the lives of children in Passaic County. You can read stories of how your donation makes an impact in our newsletter, which you can sign up for here.

We know that making donations affects your lives too; there’s a great satisfaction in helping others. Sometimes, people mark important events in their lives, like birthdays, by donating to CASA every year at that time. Sometimes, people give to CASA in amounts that are meaningful to them, like an important date or other significant number.

Another meaningful way to make charitable giving a part of your everyday life is to set up a CASA donation jar where family members can contribute extra cash or change and watch those visibly add up over time. And if you use electronic banking, you can set up a monthly bank deduction in an amount that is manageable for your monthly budget.

There are also pretty big tax benefits that you can get when you donate stock that has appreciated in value directly to CASA instead of selling it. And, if you are aged 70.5 or older, when you donate money that you have saved in a tax-deferred account like an IRA or a Rollover IRA by transferring it directly to CASA instead of transferring it to your own bank account, you don’t have to pay any taxes on that retirement income. A financial advisor can help you figure out if you might benefit by helping CASA with these types of donations.

Giving to CASA is a way to make Tax Day a little less painful, bring some comfort to abused and neglected children, and to boost your own happiness, health and well-being by knowing that you are making the world better.

For further information about how you can support the work of Passaic County CASA, please contact Courtney Como, Donor and Community Relations Director at courtney@passaiccountycasa.org