Donated $1,075 to GoFundMe and $200.00 to a MEAL TRAIN both through Facebook to help family with expenses due to a family member passing away. Charity deduction qualify?

[kensmith1993]

Does anyone know from experience if a GoFundMe or Meal Train both qualify as eligible charities? Is this more so categorized as a gift? Just want to know if I can get deductions for this. To clarify, both were to help cover expenses due to a family member passing away.

[rjs]

GoFundMe and Meal Train are not charities. Furthermore, even if you donate to an IRS-approved charity, if the donation is earmarked for a specific person or family it is not tax deductible. So you cannot deduct the donations that you made.

[TeresaM]

I am so sorry for your loss. To qualify for a charitable deduction, it needs to be with a registered charity and the IRS has a list of qualifying organizations. 

If it was to a person due to hardship, even through Meal Train or GoFundMe, that will be a gift, so they do not owe any taxes on it as income but you are unable to claim it as a deduction.