Beginning in 2026, the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces new provisions that create meaningful tax advantages for charitable giving—helping you maximize both your impact and your tax benefits.

A New Charitable Deduction for Donors Who Take the Standard Deduction:

Starting in 2026, you no longer need to itemize deductions to receive a tax benefit for your generosity. A new “above-the-line” charitable deduction allows donors who take the standard deduction to deduct cash gifts to public charities:

• Up to $1,000 for single filers or married individuals filing separately
• Up to $2,000 for married couples filing jointly

This change means millions more donors can now receive a tax benefit for giving, even if they don’t itemize.

Continued Flexibility for Donors Who Itemize:

For donors who do itemize, the law preserves the ability to deduct cash charitable gifts of up to 60% of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). This provides certainty and flexibility for itemizing donors, ensuring that large gifts can continue to deliver meaningful tax benefits.

Please make your check payable to Friends of the Children and send it to:

Friends of the Children – National
PO Box 3692
Seattle, WA 98124

Temporary address while our headquarters is under construction

With more than 3.5 million Donor Advised Fund accounts in the U.S. holding over $320 billion, DAFs represent an incredible opportunity for collective impact. By giving through your DAF, you join a community of long-term partners who provide the steady support that allows every child to count on their Friend year after year.

A DAF is a simple, flexible way to manage your charitable giving—offering an immediate tax deduction, the ability to recommend grants to organizations like Friends of the Children over time, and the opportunity to plan your giving strategically. To make a DAF gift, log in to your DAF sponsor’s portal (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, BNY Mellon), recommend a grant to Friends of the Children (EIN: 93-1300690), and consider setting up recurring or multi-year gifts to sustain our long-term promise to children.

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a meaningful difference through an IRA Charitable Rollover. Simply ask your IRA administrator to send a direct transfer to Friends of the Children. This tax-wise gift option supports our mission while helping you reduce taxable income. See details and instructions.

Donating funds via electronic fund transfer may be faster and safer than writing a check. If you are interested in donating to Friends of the Children via a wire transfer or EFT, please contact Lara Nassar, Deputy Director of Development, at lnassar@friendsofthechildren.org or 503-820-0903.

Many employers offer matching gift programs for donations made by their employees, retirees, and family members. Check with your human resources department to see if your company participates. You can submit your request online, or if a paper form is required, please mail it to:

Friends of the Children – National
PO Box 3692
Seattle, WA 98124

Temporary address while our headquarters is under construction

Donating appreciated securities (such as publicly traded stock, bonds, or mutual funds) that you have owned for more than one year is a great way to support our work. Compared to donating cash or selling your appreciated securities and contributing after-tax proceeds, you may be able to automatically increase your gift and your tax donation.

When you donate securities to Friends of the Children, you will receive a charitable income tax deduction for its full market value. Even better, you will avoid any capital gains tax on the increase in value of the stock since you purchased it.

For transfer information, please contact Lara Nassar, Deputy Director of Development, at lnassar@friendsofthechildren.org or 503-820-0903.