Can volunteer activities be claimed as tax-deductible?
June 3, 2022 | 55,00 EUR | answered by Dora Krause
Dear tax consultant,
my name is Dennis Kuhn and I am a member of a non-profit organization that is dedicated to environmental protection. In my spare time, I volunteer for this organization and take on various tasks such as organizing events or managing the website. This involves incurring costs for materials or services, which I mostly cover myself.
Now I am wondering if I can claim these voluntary activities for tax purposes. So far, I have not received any refunds for expenses or declared them in my tax return. However, especially in times of tight budgets, it would be a great relief for me if I could at least deduct some of my costs for tax purposes.
I am concerned that my volunteer work may not be recognized or that I have done something wrong by not declaring any expenses so far. Therefore, I would like to know from you if and how I can claim my voluntary activities for tax purposes. Are there specific requirements that I need to meet? What documents do I need and how should I proceed?
I would greatly appreciate a detailed response as this topic is very important to me and I would like to have clarity on whether and how I can benefit from tax advantages.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Dennis Kuhn
Dear Mr. Kuhn,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the tax deductibility of your volunteer activities in a charitable organization. It is commendable that you are involved in environmental protection and invest your time and resources in this organization.
In general, it is possible to deduct certain costs incurred in the course of volunteer work for tax purposes. However, it is important to note that there are certain requirements that must be met in order to benefit from tax advantages. Firstly, it is important that the organization is recognized as charitable. Only in this case can donations and expenses be tax deductible.
As a volunteer, you can claim certain expenses incurred in the course of your activities as business expenses. This includes, for example, travel expenses, material costs, or meal expenses. It is important to collect and keep receipts and evidence of the costs incurred. These can then be reported in your tax return.
However, it is important to note that there is a flat rate for volunteers that you can take advantage of. For volunteer activities in the charitable sector, up to 720 euros per year can be reimbursed tax-free. This means that you can claim expenses that exceed this amount for tax purposes.
To deduct your volunteer activities for tax purposes, you should fill out Annex N in your tax return. There you can list your business expenses and attach the relevant receipts. If you have not yet reported any expenses, it is advisable to do so and retrospectively declare your costs.
I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any further questions, I am at your disposal. Good luck with the tax deduction of your volunteer activities and continued commitment to environmental protection.
Sincerely,
Dora Krause
