Home › Blog › Giving That Reflects Your Values, Even as the Tax Rules Change
When the tax laws shift, people often ask: What does this mean for how I give? But the real question is: What kind of impact do I want to make and how can I make it count right now?
If you’re thinking about how to give more intentionally, you’re not alone. Our Jewish Community Foundation works with community members every day to ensure their giving reflects their priorities and keeps making a difference, even as circumstances change.
A new law called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will change how charitable deductions work in 2025 and 2026. If you give regularly—or are thinking about how to give more intentionally—these changes could affect you.
The SALT (state and local tax) deduction cap temporarily increases from $10,000 to $40,000 (from 2025 to 2030). That means more people, especially homeowners, will be able to itemize deductions. Limits on charitable deductions coming in 2026 make 2025 a smart year to give.
Consider:
Two new rules may reduce how much you can deduct if you itemize:
Some donors may choose to “bunch” their giving by consolidating multiple years of giving into 2025 to take advantage of more favorable deduction rules. One of the most effective ways to do this is by funding a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) now.
By contributing more to a DAF in 2025, you can maximize your deduction in a high-impact year while still supporting Federation and other causes you care about over time. It’s a smart way to align your giving with both tax efficiency and long-term impact.
The law also extends the 2017 tax rates, standard deduction levels, and estate and gift tax exemptions indefinitely, but these could change with future legislation.
Even if you don’t itemize, in 2026, you’ll still be able to deduct:
If you’re 70½ or older, you can donate up to $108,000 in 2025 (indexed annually) directly from your IRA to a nonprofit like The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (with that limit expected to rise in 2026). These Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) reduce your taxable income and aren’t affected by the new deduction limits.
Note: QCDs can’t be used to fund DAFs, but they can go directly to support The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington or any qualifying nonprofit.
Most people don’t give because of tax deductions. You give because you care—about Jewish life, about this community, about the future we’re building together.
Our Foundation is here to help you give in a way that’s aligned and intentional, even as the rules evolve. Whether you’re giving this year, advising others on giving, planning ahead, or thinking about a legacy, we’ll help you make sense of the options—and make the most of them.
Tax laws will likely keep evolving, and we’ll be here to help you adapt every step of the way.
Ready to take the first step? Let’s talk about your goals, your values, and how you want your giving to make a difference—this year and beyond.
For more information about how tax changes might affect you, join our Keys to Tax and Charitable Gift Planning Under the New Tax Law webinar on November 12.