Charitable organizations do tireless work to help the less fortunate, needy sections of the society. To support their work, the government offers tax deductions to citizens for contributions and donations made toward charities. Section 80G of the Income Tax Act governs the specific rules and the overall scope of the tax deductions on charity contributions.
Charity contributions in India have shown an upward spike over time due to increasing private contributions. Notice the increase in the red slice from 2011 to 2016 - that’s the increase in contributions from individual Indians. Source: Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Section 80G of the Income Tax Act lets you claim tax deductions on charitable contributions made in the financial year while filing your Income Tax Returns. This can put you in a lower tax bracket and reduce your tax liabilities. A unique feature of Section 80G is that for a certain number of charities, there is no upper limit to how much contributions can be tax-deductible while filing ITR.
Certain terms and conditions need to be met for claiming tax deductions under Section 80G. Three of the most important conditions are:
Tax deductions cannot be claimed for contributions over ₹2,000 made in cash. These changes were put in place by the budget of 2017.
Contributions made in kind are not eligible for tax deductions under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.
Contributions made to trusts registered outside India are not eligible for tax deductions.
The eligibility criteria for Section 80G is quite wide. In order to claim tax deductions under Section 80G, you would have to meet the following eligibility criteria:
Individuals and HUFs can claim deductions on their contributions
NRIs contributing to applicable trusts can claim deductions
The taxpayer must submit relevant proof of their contributions
The contribution to the charitable organisation must be made from one’s taxable income. Donations made from non-taxable income will not be considered for deductions.
A proof of payment is of paramount importance when claiming deductions under Section 80G for charitable contributions. For a successful tax rebate, ensure that you collect a receipt of your donation from the charity that you donated to.
The receipt needs to contain the following information:
Name of the donor
The amount that was donated
Name, Address, and PAN of the benefactor of the donation
Registration number of the charity
As per Section 80G, you can claim deductions under two broad categories:
Donations with an upper limit
Donations without an upper limit
These two categories can be further subdivided:
Donations without an upper limit: Here, 50% or 100% of the donations can be deducted, as per the charitable institution donated to, without another limitation.
Donations with an upper limit: Here, too, 50% or 100% of the donations can be tax deductible, in accordance with the charitable entity the money is donated to. However, the amount deducted is limited to only 10% of one’s gross total income.
Here are some examples of charitable organisations one can contribute to and the deduction limit, as per prevailing tax norms:
Sr. No. |
Name Of The Charity |
Subject To Limit |
% that qualifies for a Tax Deduction |
1 |
Welfare Fund of Armed Forces (Army/ Naval/ Air Force) |
No |
100% |
2 |
Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (LG’s) of any State (Union Territory) |
No |
100% |
3 |
National Illness Assistance Fund |
No |
100% |
4 |
National Trust for the well-being of people having cerebral palsy, Autism, multiple disabilities and Mental Retardation |
No |
100% |
5 |
CM’s Earthquake Relief Fund, Maharashtra |
No |
100% |
6 |
Fund for Development of Technology and Application |
No |
100% |
7 |
National Blood Transfusion Council |
No |
100% |
8 |
National Children’s Fund |
No |
100% |
9 |
Zila Saksharta Samiti |
No |
100% |
10 |
Fund for Providing Medical Assistance to Poor by the State Government |
No |
100% |
11 |
Rajiv Gandhi Foundation |
No |
50% |
12 |
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund |
No |
50% |
13 |
PM’s Drought Relief Fund |
No |
50% |
14 |
Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust |
No |
50% |
15 |
Indian Olympic Association |
Yes |
100% |
16 |
Swachh Bharat Kosh |
No |
100% |
17 |
Approved University or Educational Institution of National Importance like IIT, NIT etc. |
No |
100% |
18 |
National Cultural Fund |
No |
100% |
19 |
PM’s National Relief Fund |
No |
100% |
20 |
Clean Ganga Fund |
No |
100% |
While filing tax returns, if one wishes to claim income tax deduction under Section 80G, then the following documents need to be submitted alongside your ITR.
Stamped Receipt: The donation needs to be authenticated with a stamped receipt from the benefactor organization.
Form 58: To claim a 100% tax deduction for your donations at the end of the financial year, remember to download, fill, and submit Form 58. You can download it here.
While filing tax returns, people sometimes conflate Section 80G with Section 80GGC or section 80GGB. While all three of these sections have to do with claiming tax deductions for donations made in the previous financial year, they have the following differences:
Section 80G is for claiming tax deductions for donations made to charitable organizations and trusts.
Section 80GGB is for claiming tax deductions for donations made to political parties by registered Indian companies.
Section 80GGC is for claiming tax deductions for donations made to political parties by other categories of taxpayers such as individuals, HUFs, etc.
The 2020 budget put a simpler tax code in place that removed 70 odd deductions and exemptions. The new tax code introduced by the budget 2020 is optional, however - people can choose to continue to file returns under the older system if they can get greater tax savings with it.
Section 80G is an effective and easy way to get tax deductions. However, if one is looking to get additional tax deductions, they can do so by opting for Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance on Finserv MARKETS. The health insurance plan on Finserv MARKETS, qualifies for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. Other than offering the benefit of tax savings, this insurance plan protects you and your family in times of medical emergencies by offering a host of perks such as: a sum assured of up to Rs. 50 lakhs, coverage for pre and post hospitalisation expenses, free health check-ups after 3 years, coverage for alternative treatments and, much more. Minimise your tax outgo while protecting the medical and financial health of your loved ones.
I am passionate about the vehicle I drive and hence I wan't to protect it with the best available option. What amazed me about Bajaj Finserv Markets was full transparency, quick quotes and the attractive discount on the premium while choosing annual payment option!
My husband and I will finally move into our own house this Diwali. All thanks to Bajaj Finserv – Markets, with competitive interest rates, minimal processing fees and easy to repay EMIs, our dream saw the light of reality in no time!
Kids grow up fast and to fulfill their dream trip to Disneyland I had everything but instant funds. With no collateral or guarantor required and a hassle-free processing, I gifted my family a memorable trip to Paris just at the click of a mouse!
The best way to start looking for health insurance is not a 60 minute meeting with an insurance sales person but with a close study of my coverage needs and checking the insurance company's claim ratio. No unnecessary jargons, easy to apply claims process and choice of premiums, what else could I have asked for as a newbie!
I bought my first iPhone using my Bajaj Finserv EMI Network Card. Zero downpayment, No cost EMI on Bajaj Finserv Markets EMI store and the smile on my dad's face just made my day!
Getting a loan to take care of my wedding and relieving my parents to enjoy the occasion was the best decision I ever made. Easy-to-apply, amazing interest rate and quick disbursal, what more can one ask for!