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Giving back to the National Brain Tumor Society can reward your generosity during tax season, providing benefits for you while powering breakthroughs, advocacy, and support for the brain tumor community.
In 2026, recent tax legislation has fundamentally changed the landscape of charitable giving. Whether you make a meaningful annual contribution or coordinate major philanthropic investments, understanding these new benefits can help you maximize both your tax savings and your impact on the brain tumor community.
Taking the Standard Deduction? You Can Now Deduct Charitable Gifts!
For the past few years, taxpayers who opted for the standard deduction could not write off their charitable contributions. In 2026, that changes: the universal charitable deduction is back! Starting with donations made this calendar year, even people who don’t itemize can deduct their gifts to qualifying public charities like NBTS.
Single filers can deduct up to $1,000 in cash contributions.
Married couples filing jointly can deduct up to $2,000 in cash contributions.
Why this matters: This permanent provision makes charitable giving more advantageous for the vast majority of taxpayers. Your everyday cash gifts, monthly recurring donations, and year-end contributions will directly lower your taxable income.
Itemizing Your Taxes? An Important Update
If you plan to itemize your deductions, there is a new rule to keep in mind. Effective for the 2026 tax year, you can only deduct the portion of your charitable giving that exceeds 0.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).
For example, if your AGI is $200,000, your 0.5% floor is $1,000.
You will only be able to claim a tax deduction on eligible charitable contributions that surpass that $1,000 threshold.
Additionally, the tax benefit of itemized charitable deductions is now capped at 35% for donors in the highest tax bracket (37%).
Because of this new floor, traditional cash giving might not move the needle on your taxes as effectively as it used to. This is where alternative giving vehicles become highly advantageous.
Beyond Cash: Three Tax-Smart Ways to Give in 2026
To optimize your philanthropic footprint, giving cash isn’t always the most effective strategy. Here are three alternative ways to support the National Brain Tumor Society in 2026 while reaping maximum tax benefits:
💡Give through a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
A DAF is a specialized giving account that allows you to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants to your favorite charities — like NBTS — over time.
In 2026, DAFs are the perfect tool for a tax strategy called bunching: By combining two or three years’ worth of planned donations into your DAF in a single tax year, you can easily exceed the new 0.5% floor for itemizers. Once the funds are in the DAF, you can continue to distribute them to NBTS gradually.
An extra reason to give via a DAF: Between October 8 and October 31, 2026, all gifts made to NBTS from a DAF will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000.
💡Donate through stocks and appreciated securities
Donating long-term appreciated assets directly to NBTS is one of the most tax-efficient ways to support our mission in 2026. When you transfer appreciated stocks or mutual funds directly to a charity, you bypass the capital gains tax you would have owed if you sold the asset yourself. Furthermore, you are generally eligible to take a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock, helping you clear the 0.5% AGI floor far more efficiently than using cash.
💡Use cryptocurrency to make your charitable gifts
Just like traditional stocks, cryptocurrency is treated as property by the IRS. If you have held Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other cryptocurrencies for more than a year, donating them directly to NBTS allows you to avoid capital gains taxes on the appreciation. It also provides a charitable deduction based on the asset’s fair market value at the time of the donation. This ensures more of your wealth goes toward defeating brain tumors rather than paying taxes.
💡BONUS tip for donors over 70
If you are 70½ years old or more, you can utilize a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA. In 2026, you can give up to $111,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified charity tax-free, bypassing the 0.5% deduction floor completely.
Propel the NBTS Mission Forward
By understanding the 2026 tax landscape, you have the power to maximize your tax benefits while advancing our shared goal — to conquer and cure brain tumors. The new universal charitable deduction makes it more advantageous for more people to give, while tools like DAFs, stocks, and crypto ensure that major philanthropic investments go even further.
Ready to make an impact in 2026 that fuels our work in 2027 and beyond?
Disclaimer: National Brain Tumor Society does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for educational purposes only. We strongly encourage you to consult with your own tax, legal, or financial advisor to understand how the 2026 tax laws apply to your specific situation.
