What's the most tax-efficient way to give to charity?

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Accepted Answer

It depends on your situation. If your itemized deductions are near the standard deduction, bunching several years of giving into one year (often via a donor-advised fund) can unlock a deduction you'd otherwise lose. If you're 70.5 or older, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA excludes the gift from income entirely, which usually beats itemizing. This free calculator compares all three and recommends the best.

Charitable Giving Tax Calculator