Donations of certain household items and clothing are often tax deductible when you file your income tax return. Use Schedule A (Form 1040) to figure your itemized deductions.You aren't allowed to claim a deduction for a charitable donation unless you itemize your deductions on your tax return. As mentioned above, to claim a charitable donation, you need to itemize your deductions using Form 1040, Schedule A as part of your tax preparation. Donors seeking the tax credit must apply to the Comptroller for a tax credit certificate in the calendar year that the donation is made. If you want your deductible charitable contributions you must itemize your donation deduction on Form 1040, Schedule A: Itemized Deductions. Complete line 26a only if you are not itemizing deductions. The standard deduction method gives you a standard deduction without the need to itemize deductions.