Many charities conduct fund-raising campaigns during the last three months of the year.
Likewise, donors tend to make contributions at the end of the calendar year. Before making contributions to your favorite charities, it is a good idea to review the basic tax rules for charitable contribution deductions. Qualified charitable entities are noted in IRS Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations. A donation of appreciated property provides a current deduction for the FMV of the gift, while avoiding capital gains taxes that would have been paid if the property had been sold. In this situation, the property should be sold, with the proceeds donated to charity.