Amanda Malloy, ASA Director of Development
After the winter we experienced here in the DC area, April feels like a long-lost friend finally returning. Warmer weather. More sunshine. Blooming flowers. Baseball is back. Optimism is in the air.
And just like Opening Day, Tax Day arrives right on schedule, reminding us that timing and strategy matter just as much off the field as they do on it.
While filing taxes may not be anyone’s favorite spring activity, recent legislation passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in July 2025, introduced updates that will begin influencing tax strategy in 2026. Several of these changes could affect how charitable giving factors into your tax planning strategy.
What’s New?
A charitable deduction for nonitemizers: Beginning in 2026, taxpayers who don’t itemize—and instead take the standard deduction—may deduct up to $1,000 (single filers) or $2,000 (joint filers) in charitable contributions annually. For many donors, this is welcome news. You no longer must itemize to receive a direct tax benefit from your generosity.
A minimum threshold for itemizers: If you itemize, charitable contributions are deductible only after they exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income. Previously, there was no minimum threshold before claiming the deduction.
A slightly reduced cap (not the one you wear to the ballpark): The overall cap on itemized deductions has been lowered from 37% to 35%.
What It Means for Your Giving
For nonitemizers, this change creates a new opportunity. Even if you claim the standard deduction, you can still deduct charitable gifts up to $1,000 (or $2,000 if filing jointly). At the ASA, an annual gift of $1,000 or more qualifies you for the Helen Walker Society. That alignment may be purely coincidental, but it’s certainly convenient.
But if making a $1,000 gift at one time feels like a stretch, remember that recurring monthly giving is an option and easy to set up when making your donation online. A $1,000 annual commitment can be structured as $84 per month. As I did that math, I realized it’s roughly what I’m paying for my family’s Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu bundle. One brings us Marvel, Star Wars, and sports, and the other supports the future of statistics and data science. Both matter, though only one advances the profession.
For itemizers, strategy becomes even more important. Because deductions now apply only after exceeding 0.5% of AGI, some donors may consider “bundling” multiple years of charitable gifts into one tax year to surpass the threshold.
Donor-advised funds can be especially helpful in this strategy. You may contribute to your DAF in one year for deduction purposes, then recommend grants to the ASA and other charities over time. It’s a way to be both tax savvy and consistently supportive.
One area that remains unchanged is qualified charitable distributions from IRAs. For individuals aged 70½ and older, QCDs continue to be excluded from taxable income, meaning the new minimum threshold and deduction cap do not apply. QCDs remain a tax-efficient way to support the causes you care about.
As always, tax laws are complex, and individual circumstances vary. Consider consulting your financial or tax adviser to determine how these changes may affect your personal giving strategy.
April may bring the filing deadline, but it also brings a new season and chance to step up to the plate with a plan.
Play ball.
Amanda Malloy
ASA Director of Development
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