If you are fostering a rescue horse from a 501c(3) rescue, can you claim the boarding as a deduction?

[Carl]

Are you in the business of raising, breeding, traning, or otherwise utilizing horses with the intent to make a profit?

[lomiller0625]

No

[Anonymous]

read this <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.thoughtco.com/are-animal-fostering-costs-tax-deductible-127747">https://www.thoughtco.co...>

[rjs]

It's not clear what you mean by "the boarding." You can deduct your actual out-of-pocket expenses for things like food and veterinary care that are not reimbursed by the organization. I doubt that you could deduct anything for stable space, for example, because you have no direct out-of-pocket expense and you are not turning over ownership of the stable to the organization. You cannot claim a deduction for donating the use of something that you continue to own. And you certainly cannot deduct the value of your time.

You have to keep good records of the expenses. The article that TaxPro+40 referenced discusses keeping records.

Also note that donations to a charitable organization are an itemized deduction. It will not make any difference in your taxes unless your total itemized deductions are higher than your standard deduction. The standard deduction this year (2018) is much higher than in previous years, so most people will not have itemized deductions that are more than their standard deduction.

[lomiller0625]

I'm actually paying a boarding facility to keep her at and the feed is included in the board. I didn't have the space.

[rjs]

In that case, what you pay the boarding facility is an out-of-pocket expense. Keep good records. It would probably be less likely to be questioned by the IRS if you could arrange to have the organization pay for the boarding, and you just make a straight monetary contribution to the organization to cover it. Then you would have a receipt from the organization for the contribution.

[Opus 17]

You need a letter or acknowledgment from the rescue organization on their letterhead that says something like “thank you for fostering the horse Seabiscuit for us” and the dates.  You would put that with your other expense records. The letter from the charity does not have to verify the amounts that you spent, but you should have a written acknowledgment from them that you paid for services on their behalf.

[lomiller0625]

Okay, great! Thank you all so much 🙂

[Opus 17]

You can deduct out of pocket costs that you actually pay.   You can’t deduct anything for the use of property, such as allowing the horse to live in your barn and pasture. You also can’t deduct anything for the value of your time. 

[aurearamos]

Where do I enter the deduction for fostering a rescue horse?

[Critter-3]

Enter the cost incurred as a cash donation in the TT program.