President Signs Acceleration of Haiti Charitable Contribution Deductions

On January 22, 2010, the President signed legislation to allow individuals to claim a deduction on their 2009 tax returns for qualified cash Haiti disaster relief contributions made after January 11 and before March 1, 2010. The contributions would have to be made to U.S. charities actively involved in Haiti relief efforts. A cell phone statement that showed the date, amount, and recipient of the contribution would serve as adequate support for the deduction. The legislation is therefore currently effective and provides one of the relatively few actions that can be taken in 2010 to reduce 2009 taxes.