Deduction of donations is extended
Support for voluntary work and relief for taxpayers
Donations and voluntary work are the main pillars of social cohesion in Austria. In the previous year alone, domestic donations reached around 900 million euros.
Around 13-14% of the total donation volume has been tax deductible in recent years. This means that taxpayers save more than 100 million euros per year thanks to the possibility of deducting donations.
The federal government, together with representatives of the donation and non-profit sector, has now drawn up a comprehensive concept to significantly expand the tax privileges for donations. This marks the next big step in this area after 15 years.
The donation deductibility has been mainly expanded to the following areas.
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Education
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Sport
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Arts and Culture
Therefore, sports and educational clubs can submit an application from next year and be included as a donation-privileged institution. The federal government is creating massive administrative simplifications for art and culture.
This aims to further increase the total volume of donations made by Austrians. Initial estimates assume that the previous tax relief volume of around 100 million euros can double in the next few years.
Austrian Finance Minister Magnus Brunner commented: "I am positive: The special contribution made by donors, but also by those people who volunteer, cannot be overestimated. That deserves even more tax credit. That is why we are extending the deductibility of donations to the areas of education, sports, art and culture. In this way, we support the commitment of those people who do voluntary work and relieve the burden on taxpayers.”