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  • 1.  EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-06-2026 02:43 PM

    Hi all,

     

    We send end-of-year tax receipts to our recurring donors and are reviewing our process. I'm curious whether other organizations use a minimum dollar threshold for issuing mailed receipts.

     

    We have donors whose total annual giving is under $100, and we're weighing the cost and staff time of mailing receipts at that level versus alternative approaches.

     

    I'd appreciate hearing what thresholds (if any) others use and how you've handled this.

     

    Thank you in advance.

    Tammy

     

    Tammy M. Cline

    Assistant Director, Gift Policy, Processing & Reporting

    West Point Association of Graduates

    698 Mills Road West Point, NY 10996

    Phone: 845.446.1540

    Fax: 845.377.3039

    WestPointAOG.org

     

    Serving West Point and the Long Gray Line

     

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message and any attachments is confidential and the property of West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG). This message is intended for viewing and use by the original recipients only. Any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication and/or its attachments is prohibited without the sender’s written permission. WPAOG does not accept liability for changes to this message after it was sent or privacy violations caused by forwarding to additional parties. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender and delete this email from your computer. For additional information please refer to the privacy statement available at WestPointAOG.org.

     



  • 2.  RE: EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-06-2026 02:57 PM
    Your best bet - to avoid any donor relations issues - is to ask donors to opt out. Or, better yet, tell them they will receive only an email receipt, which will save you most of your time and expenses.

    I am not one to pass up an opportunity to thank my donors, even when the amount is small. I have countless examples of donors who have made modest gifts over the years that ultimately result in a significant bequest. Any time and effort spent on thanking a donor is money well spent.

    I'd switch to email before eliminating them entirely.

    That said, I've had a handful of clients advise their recurring donors at the $20 or below level that they would not receive a year-end receipt unless they requested one, noting that the IRS does not require a receipt for donations under $250. However, if a donor wants to take advantage of the new $1,000 (maximum) non-itemized above-the-line charitable deduction now in effect, they will either need that receipt or you will need to ensure that the credit card charge reflects the donation. At Duke, those charges appeared as "Gift to Duke."

    John

    John H. Taylor, Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier Street
    Durham, NC     27705

    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987






  • 3.  RE: EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-06-2026 02:59 PM

    Great information, thank you!

     

    Tammy M. Cline

    Assistant Director, Gift Policy, Processing & Reporting

    West Point Association of Graduates

    698 Mills Road West Point, NY 10996

    Phone: 845.446.1540

    Fax: 845.377.3039

    WestPointAOG.org

     

    Serving West Point and the Long Gray Line

     

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message and any attachments is confidential and the property of West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG). This message is intended for viewing and use by the original recipients only. Any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication and/or its attachments is prohibited without the sender’s written permission. WPAOG does not accept liability for changes to this message after it was sent or privacy violations caused by forwarding to additional parties. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender and delete this email from your computer. For additional information please refer to the privacy statement available at WestPointAOG.org.

     




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-06-2026 04:29 PM
    We advise our clients to email receipt small donors, but the exact threshold varies by client, depending on the shape of their donor pool, and on the ask amounts on gift forms.


    Thank you,
    Isaac Shalev
    Data Strategy Expert
    Sage70, Inc.
    (917) 859-0151
    isaac@sage70.com

    Schedule a 30-minute consultation now:






  • 5.  RE: EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-07-2026 04:53 PM

    I'll add in to concur with John that in my experience, while a year end tax receipt might have some functional tax related benefit for the donor, the biggest value of sending that receipt is in the opportunity it gives you to thank the donor (even if you already have - several thanks per gift is recommended and productive). Your receipt creates another valuable moment where your organization is top of mind and making them feel good about their impact.

    Further, while this is far down the list of reasons to send a mailed receipt, since you mention cost as a concern, don't forget to include a reply envelope. At many organizations, this results in a meaningful offset to the cost of the mail, and in some reports, it appears to contribute positively to donor retention.



    ------------------------------
    Mike Fischer
    Sage70
    mike@sage70.com
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: EOY Tax Receipt Thresholds for Small-Dollar Donors

    Posted 01-08-2026 08:37 AM

    Thank you, Mike. I love the idea of including a return envelope.

     

    Tammy M. Cline

    Assistant Director, Gift Policy, Processing & Reporting

    West Point Association of Graduates

    698 Mills Road West Point, NY 10996

    Phone: 845.446.1540

    Fax: 845.377.3039

    WestPointAOG.org

     

    Serving West Point and the Long Gray Line

     

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message and any attachments is confidential and the property of West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG). This message is intended for viewing and use by the original recipients only. Any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication and/or its attachments is prohibited without the sender’s written permission. WPAOG does not accept liability for changes to this message after it was sent or privacy violations caused by forwarding to additional parties. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender and delete this email from your computer. For additional information please refer to the privacy statement available at WestPointAOG.org.

     




    Original Message


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