Send your donors than-you notes. They’ll thank you come tax season.

By Kathleen Stephenson and Lisa Petkun

Furthermore, a receipt is not required if it is unreasonable to obtain one under the circumstances, such as for property dropped off at an unattended site maintained by the charity. In such a case, the organization is not obligated to provide an acknowledgement or receipt, even if it could. Rather, it is up to the donor to maintain reliable written records for each contributed item.