If I had a charitable donation in 2018 that I would get a bigger benefit from in 2019, can I hold it from this tax return and carry it over to 2019?

[CherylW · Accepted solution]

No, you can't.

If you're a cash-basis taxpayer (as most of us are), you can only deduct expenses in the year that they're paid.  To use your 2018 donation, you need to report it on your 2018 return, no matter the size of the potentially missed deduction.