are charitable contributions paid directly from an IRA deductible?

[paedge]

I would like to see complete answers instead of an abbreviated, short answer.

[Bsch4477]

When you do a QCD (Qualified Charitable Deduction) from your IRA  you tell your fiduciary how much and to what charity part of your withdrawal is being donated. Your fiduciary sends the donation directly to the charity or may send you the check made out to the charity for you to send to the charity (Vanguard does that).  When you report your 1099-R you tell the program how much of your IRA  is the charitable donation and the program includes in your income only the amount not contributed to the charity. So in effect the donation decreases your AGI. 

[VolvoGirl]

No.  It has already been deducted from your income.  You can not deduct it again.  Actually it’s better to have it deducted from your IRA distribution (called above the line) instead of taking a Schedule A deduction for it especially if the Standard Deduction is more than your itemized deductions.

After you enter form 1099-R keep going.   If you have entered a birth date which makes you older than 70 1/2  there will be a page that asks Do any of these situations apply? Midway down is Were any of these funds sent directly to a charity?   Then it will ask for the amount.

The code in box 7 of form 1099-R must be 7 (or new code Y) and the little IRA/SEP/SIMPLE box must be checked.  A IRA QCD should be 0 taxable on 1040 line 4b and the QCD box checked.  Unless you have other 1099R taxable amounts on 4b.  You can’t do a QCD from a 401K.