Hi Barbara,

Here is what I understand to be so with benefits. As far as the IRS is concerned your time is of no value. You may deduct real expenses such as miles, cost of having your clothes cleaned, lodging and food but not the performance it self.

If I donate a bracelet to a worthy cause to be raffled off to the highest bidder, the most the IRS will allow me to deduct is one half the value of the material I use at cost. So if a a bracelet has $10.00 worth of sterling the most I can claim is $5.00. So in theory if I sell a bracelet for $30.00 and I use the thirds principle of mark up, and I have $10.00 of silver in it, my $30.00 value has a taxable worth of only $5.00. I donate around thirty bracelets a year to causes making my real loss of income at about $900.00 but my taxable benefit is at $150.00. Whos' the fool now?

In the future donate your time as freely as you can. I do it still but if I did it for the moeny I'd be nuts. (I do it because I feel I owe some of what I got to help those who got not.) But when you do, ask for a thank you letter thanking you for your gift of a dollar figure. That will help you with your deduction. Or just suck it up and be altruistic about it.

Don