To reap tax benefits for making charitable donations, you must itemize your deductions rather than taking the Standard Deduction. Use Schedule A (Form 1040) to figure your itemized deductions.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. Turn charitable donations into big tax deductions with ItsDeductible. Track your donations year-round and import them into TurboTax at tax time. This calculator can help you quantify the tax benefits of contributing to a qualified public charity. To deduct charitable contributions, taxpayers must file Form 1040 and itemize deductions. H.B. 2757 introduces a new economic (dollar-based) nexus standard for businesses that have no physical presence in the state. The donor will use this letter as proof of his or her donation to claim a tax deduction. Locate current and prior year tax forms and publications.