You can claim all of your 2007 donations plus any donations made in any of the previous five years that have not been claimed before.
If you are married, claim all of your donations on one spouse's return. This is because the first $200 of donations are only eligible for a reduced tax credit. By claiming donations on one return, you will avoid having the first $200 of donations subjected to the reduced tax credit twice, saving you up to $46.
You don't have to claim your donations made in 2007. If, for example, you have other deductions sufficient to eliminate your federal taxes, then there is no benefit to claiming the donations in this year. Instead, carry forward your donations; they can still be claimed in the next five years.
You are required to attach the official receipts to your tax return. Pledge slips, cancelled cheques, credit card slips and other proofs of payment are not acceptable. If you have lost your official tax receipt, contact the charity for an official duplicate. Donations to foreign charities generally do not qualify, but there are special rules to allow the credit for donations to some US charities and certain other prescribed foreign charities.
Every receipt from a Canadian charity or athletic association must contain a statement that it is an “official receipt” for income tax purposes. The receipt must also conform to the prescribed format, and include the name of the organization, its address, the registration number assigned to it by the Minister of National Revenue, the date, and the amount of the donation.
Information for Tax Tips is provided as a public service by the Chartered Accountants of British Columbia.