tax question re: charitable contributions

[mtemm]

am wondering if anyone can help. I'm trying to finish up taxes today and am going thru my american express end of year statement. I make several contributions using my amex to organizations I know are fine...heart association and the sort.

my question is that amex has 2 things listed as charities. one is when we were in DC and visited the national zoo and spent some money there (parking I think, since the zoo itself is free), and the other was at williamsburg.

my assumption is that these don't count as real charities, but the info I am reading is confusing. does anybody know?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

am wondering if anyone can help. I'm trying to finish up taxes today and am going thru my american express end of year statement. I make several contributions using my amex to organizations I know are fine...heart association and the sort.

my question is that amex has 2 things listed as charities. one is when we were in DC and visited the national zoo and spent some money there (parking I think, since the zoo itself is free), and the other was at williamsburg.

my assumption is that these don't count as real charities, but the info I am reading is confusing. does anybody know?

If you receive a service/product for your donation, the cost of that is not tax deductible, just the donation above it. It would be safe to say the expenses related to parking would not be considered a donation.

 

[Northstar]

am wondering if anyone can help. I'm trying to finish up taxes today and am going thru my american express end of year statement. I make several contributions using my amex to organizations I know are fine...heart association and the sort.

my question is that amex has 2 things listed as charities. one is when we were in DC and visited the national zoo and spent some money there (parking I think, since the zoo itself is free), and the other was at williamsburg.

my assumption is that these don't count as real charities, but the info I am reading is confusing. does anybody know?

It's not that they don't count as charities; it's that you didn't make a charitable donation, but bought goods and services. You don't get to count it as a charitable donation if you received something in return for your money.

 

[mtemm]

thanks! that was my assumption, too.