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Arizona provides a unique tax benefit for generosity. When you donate cash to a Qualifying Charitable Organization, you receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your Arizona state income tax. So, if you donate $400 to a pediatric respite care service provider like Ryan House, you reduce your Arizona income tax bill by $400.

Many charities leave donors in the dark about how their donation is used. However, Ryan House has an established track record of working with children with terminal illnesses and their families.

Here are three ways your tax credit helps children at Ryan House.

Pediatric Respite Care

Caring for a child with a terminal illness can be stressful. Pediatric respite care gives children and their caregivers some time off from life’s daily stresses.

About 17 million unpaid caregivers provide care to a child with special needs under the age of 18 in the United States. A small percentage of them provide end-of-life care for children. This can be an emotionally and physically overwhelming job.

Respite care allows these children and their caregivers to take a break. These overnight stays allow kids to play with other kids and parents to rest.

Therapeutic Activities

Children with an end-of-life diagnosis and their siblings face a lot of emotional issues. Therapeutic activities help them deal with the fear, pain, and isolation they face every day.

Therapeutic activities help improve the quality of life for these children. They also help the families work through their emotions as they deal with daily life.

Some therapeutic activities Ryan House conducts include:

• Recreation
• Art
• Music
• Pet therapy
• Sensory activities
• Hydrotherapy

Pediatric Palliative Care

Part of end-of-life care is finding a way to maximize comfort and quality of life. Palliative care allows families to develop a palliative program that is consistent with their beliefs and addresses their physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

The goal of palliative care is to reduce suffering, so the family can continue to grow and enjoy their time together. With support, a family can address their situation holistically and get the most out of their family time.

Donations to Ryan House provide double benefits. You receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for your donation. This makes your donation free to you. At the same time, your donation can help children and their families address a major health event with the help of Ryan House and its staff. Contact Ryan House today to learn how you can redirect your tax credits and how they can help children in need.

Charitable tax credits are a great way to lower your Arizona tax bill and, more importantly, it is a great way to support a good cause. Not only do you benefit from a tax break by choosing the right qualifying charitable organization , but you also support wonderful groups positively impacting the lives of so many in Arizona, like Ryan House.

What is the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit?

The Arizona tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar match. This means that for every dollar you give to a qualifying charitable organization, a dollar comes off your income tax bill. Individual filers can claim a personal tax credit of $400 maximum and joint filers $800 maximum. For example, if you are filing as an individual and were to donate $400 to a qualifying organization, the state of Arizona will take $400 off of your final state tax bill. So, if your state tax bill is $700 for the year and you donated $400 to Ryan House, you’ll only need to pay $300 in Arizona state tax. If your tax bill was $700 for the year and you didn’t donate any money to charity, you would pay $700 in Arizona state tax.

Although your bank account is lighter in either scenario, you get to decide where most of your hard-earned money goes when you donate it. Utilizing the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit costs you nothing, as you’d be paying the same amount of money in taxes no matter what. By taking advantage of charitable tax credits, you allocate your tax dollars to the qualifying charitable organization of your choice, and get peace of mind knowing your money is supporting a good cause.

Is There a Catch?

There isn’t a catch with the tax credit, you just need to be aware of the tax credit limits and make sure you submit your donation on or before April 15th following the close of the taxable year. A married couple filing jointly can get credit for as much as $800 donated to a category known as Qualified Charitable Organizations (QCO). This means that you could donate all $800 to one charity that falls in that category or split it up between multiple charities. A person filing singly can do the same but only up to $400.

There are five total categories that include charitable Arizona state tax credits, each with its own maximum amount. This allows you to use your tax dollars for as much good as possible, as you could donate the maximum to Ryan House (under the QCO category) and still donate to a foster care group, a public school, a school tuition organization, and a military family relief fund.

What Do You Have to Do to Utilize the Credit?

Taking advantage of the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit is very easy. Every charity has a numerical code. When you make a donation, the charity will send you a receipt or thank you note with the amount of your donation and their code. Whether you file your taxes yourself electronically or you go to an accountant, you will be asked for that code. All you have to do is provide that code and your donation amount.

Help the Kids at Ryan House and Cut Your Tax Bill

Start your tax planning right now with charitable tax credits. You can make a donation to Ryan House and make a difference in a child’s life while you take advantage of the charitable tax credit.

Ryan House provides palliative care to pediatric patients at no cost to the family. About 17% to 19% of children in the U.S. have chronic illnesses that they are battling. Ryan House is there when families need support the most. It is the only organization of its kind in the Southwest.

Every year, about $9 million is left on the table that individual taxpayers could have designated for the charity of their choice. Putting your money where it will do the most good and collecting a charitable tax credit is a win-win plan. Contact Ryan House today to learn more about donating through the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit.