Deductible Duck adds receipt photos to donation tracker

Deductible Duck now lets paid-plan users attach a photo or PDF receipt to each item donation, giving donors a cleaner way to document charitable gifts for tax time. The feature lands as IRS rules still require proof for many donations and as former ItsDeductible users look for a replacement.

Why it matters: - Deductible Duck’s new receipt attachment feature gives donors one place to store item lists, values and proof for each charitable gift. - The update is aimed at people who donate clothing, furniture and household goods and need records that satisfy IRS rules at tax time. - The feature is live on the paid plan.

What happened: - Deductible Duck now allows users to photograph or upload charitable donation receipts and attach them to individual item donations. - The company says the feature supports receipts from drop-offs such as Goodwill and Salvation Army. - The attachment option appears in the app under a section labeled Receipt / Proof. - Users can drag in a file on desktop or take a photo on a phone. - The feature is built as a replacement for Intuit’s discontinued ItsDeductible.

The details: - Each item donation can hold one receipt attachment. - Accepted file types include JPG, PNG, HEIC and PDF. - File size is limited to 10 MB each. - Multiple receipts from one drop-off can be combined into a single PDF. - Attached files open inside the app and remain private to the account that uploaded them. - Photo attachments are embedded in the item donation report PDF. - A PDF attachment is noted on that report. - Every receipt is included in the ZIP file when a user exports data. - The feature applies only to item donations and only on paid accounts. - Deductible Duck lets former ItsDeductible users import CSV files. - The product tracks item, cash, stock and mileage donations. - The pricing page lists TurboTax exports and PDF reports for a CPA. - Tracking the first $1,000 of donations is free and does not require a credit card. - The paid plan costs $29.99 a year. - The homepage says the app uses fair market value data reviewed by a person. - Deductible Duck also stores receipt photos with item donations and exports the year for tax filing. - Deductible Duck is a trade name of Skyline Consulting, a Littleton, Colorado company that also makes ExpenseDuck. - Deductible Duck is not affiliated with Intuit, TurboTax or ItsDeductible. - The company’s site is More information. - Dave Rodenbaugh said, “Having the receipt from the drop off proves your donation happened, and our database helps estimate the value. In April, you can easily find both in Deductible Duck.”

Between the lines: - The feature is designed to make donation records easier to keep together, especially for noncash gifts that may need both a receipt and a value estimate. - The timing also targets former ItsDeductible users who need a new workflow after Intuit shut the product down. - IRS rules still drive the documentation burden, so software that bundles proof, item detail and export files has a clear use case. - For donated goods, the receipt itself does not set value; the donor does. - Goodwill of Colorado, for example, gives donors a form with space to list each item and assign a value themselves, while noting that IRS rules prohibit charities from setting or confirming values.

What the IRS requires: - IRS Topic No. 506 says a cash gift of any amount needs a bank record or written communication from the charity showing the charity’s name, the amount and the date. - For gifts of $250 or more, cash or property, the IRS calls for a written acknowledgment from the charity that states whether the donor received anything in return. - For noncash gifts worth more than $500, IRS Form 8283 is required. - Section A of Form 8283 covers items and groups of similar items valued at $5,000 or less. - Section B covers amounts above $5,000 and requires a qualified appraisal. - IRS Publication 526 and 26 CFR 1.170A-13 say a receipt for donated goods should show the charity’s name, the date and place of the gift, and a description of what was given. - A receipt is excused only when getting one is impractical, such as property left at an unattended charity drop site. - Even then, the donor must keep a written record of the charity, the date, the place and the items. - Clothing and household items must be in good used condition or better to be deductible, unless a single item is appraised at more than $500.

What’s next: - Deductible Duck users can continue importing ItsDeductible CSV files and building donation records for tax time. - The app’s receipt attachment workflow is now available to paid users as part of the broader donation tracking toolset. - Donors who use unattended drop sites can photograph the receipt on the spot and keep the file with the donation record.

The bottom line: - Deductible Duck is trying to turn donation receipts, item values and export files into one tax-ready record, which could make it easier for donors to document charitable giving after ItsDeductible’s shutdown.