is a monetary wedding gift to my child deductible for federal tax?
Financial Planner. Iâm often asked if someone can take an income tax deduction for money they gift to their children. Gifts to individuals are not tax deductible. Tax deductions can only be taken for gifts to organizations on the IRS list of approved charities. However, there is a way to get a partial deduction for money that will eventually go to your children. A charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) gifts money to a charity first, and then passes assets to your beneficiaries.
To set your mind at ease, first determine if youâve given any one child more than the limit for a calendar year. You can give a child up to $14,000 in a year before you have to file a gift tax return (in 2012, this amount was $13,000). If your child is married, you can also give up to $14,000 each to his or her spouse. If youâre married, you and your spouse can both make gifts, meaning the maximum gift one couple can gift another couple without filing a gift tax is $56,000. This amount is per calendar year, and does not roll over from year to year.