An easy tax tip I tell all my clients is to make at least one donation trip to the Idaho Youth Ranch each year. Whether it is clothes the kids have out grown, toys they don’t play with, kitchen items we don’t use or need anymore, or electronics we’ve replaced, we all have stuff that the Youth Ranch wants. Your non-cash donations not only qualify as a charitable contribution deduction on your federal return, the State of Idaho will give you up to a $200 credit for donations to Idaho youth and rehabilitation facilities, and the Youth Ranch is on that list of qualified entities (complete list found below). Just make sure you get a receipt for the items you donate and assign a value. Being charitable feels good, and so does a thicker wallet.

Here is a worksheet that is useful for determining what that old stuff you donate is worth.

Here are all the organizations you can donate to that qualify for the Idaho credit:

Anchor House, Coeur d’Alene • The Arc, Inc., Boise • The Children’s Home Society of Idaho, Inc., Boise • Children’s Village, Inc., Coeur d’Alene • Dawn Enterprises, Inc., Blackfoot • Development Workshop, Inc., Idaho Falls • Gem Youth Services, Inc., Emmett • High Reachers, Inc., Mountain Home • Hope House, Inc., Nampa • Idaho Drug Free Youth, Inc., Coeur d’Alene • Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital, Inc., Boise • Idaho Youth Ranch • Kinderhaven, Sandpoint • Learning Lab, Inc., Boise • Magic Valley Rehabilitation Services, Inc., Twin Falls • New Day Products, Inc., Pocatello • Northwest (North Idaho) Children’s Home, Inc. • Opportunities Unlimited, Inc., Lewiston • Panhandle Special Needs, Inc., Sandpoint • Project P.A.T.C.H., Planned Assistance for Troubled Children • Project Safe Place • Shepherd’s Home, Inc., McCall • Transitional Employment Services for the Handicapped, Coeur d’Alene • Walker Center, Gooding • Western Idaho Training Co., Inc., Caldwell • Women’s and Children’s Alliance • Winchester Occupational Workshop, Winchester