Calculate your tax benefit
Use our tax calculator to estimate the potential tax benefit of your donation.
Calculate your tax benefit
Use our tax calculator to estimate the potential tax benefit of your donation.
The actual cost of your donation is
$xx.xx a xxxx
Because you save
$xx.xx a year on tax
This table is based upon 2018-2019 ATO individual Income Tax rates. The above rates do not include the Medicare Levy of 2%. The exact level of your tax deductibility will vary depending on your present financial circumstances. Please seek assistance from an independent taxation professional for formal guidelines.
Tax time is fast approaching.
While going through your income and expenses over the past financial year can be a taxing affair, there are some easy ways to minimise the stress and boost your tax refund through a charitable donation.
Donating to charity is not only a great way to give back and create positive change in developing communities, but donations are a great way to also reduce your taxable income. This means you’ll pay less tax, while helping refugees, children and mothers in need.
Most of the donations you’ve made to charity over the past year are tax deductible, so start gathering those receipts and counting how much you’ve given back, to get back on your tax year refund.
Is my donations tax deductible?
Yes, charitable gifts and donations can be tax deductible. However, not all charitable organisations qualify for this initiative. Here’s how tax deductible donations work, you can only claim a tax return for gifts or donations to organisations that have the status of ‘deductible gift recipients (DGR)’. DGRs are simply charities or organisations that are officially registered to receive tax deductible gifts. You can find more information on this below.
To review more details on what types of charities qualify for this initiative you can read more on the ATO website.
Are companies and businesses able to claim tax deductible donations?
Businesses can claim donations to charity on their taxes just like individuals. Tax time is a great opportunity to amp up workplace giving programs or social responsibility schemes.
As a business owner, or executive, all you need to do is donate a cash gift to your chosen charity and keep the receipt. The ATO will recognise your donation as a deductible gift to charity.
How a tax deductible donation can boost your tax return
It is a fairly straightforward process to make and claim a tax donation, but if you are ever unsure then contact a professional, like your tax agent.
There are a range of factors to consider when making a charitable donation to boost your Australian tax return. Whether you’re making a regular donation, or donating for the first time, we’ve got five quick tips to help you make the most out of your giving.
1 – Make sure your charity is registered
“Gift” donations (when you donate money or property to charity without receiving any material benefit in return) can only be claimed on your tax return if your charity has been endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR).
You can check whether your chosen charity is reputable and registered as a DGR, on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission website
Does claiming a tax deductible donation affect the amount of money a charity receives?
Claiming a tax deduction from a gift donation doesn’t affect the amount of money the charity receives, just what you’re entitled to deduct at tax time.
It is a mutually beneficial gift that reduces your taxable income. Claim a deduction and support individuals and families living in disadvantaged communities.
2 – Keep your donation receipts
Donations that are $2 or more are tax deductible. Get and keep the receipt of any donation you make in case you need to show your tax agent or accountant, or the ATO. The ATO recommends keeping receipts for five years after completing your tax return in case they need to ask you to substantiate your claim.
You can keep a record of your tax deductions and income in one place on the myDeductions app.
3 – Know and record your “contributions”
In addition to gift donations, you may be able to claim a tax deduction on any “contributions” you’ve made to charity.
A contribution is when you receive something with a monetary value from the charity in return for your donation. For example, a ticket to a fundraising dinner would not be considered as a gift donation but it may be considered as a contribution.
You may be able to claim a part of your contribution as a tax deduction.
4 – Talk to a tax agent/accountant
The limit to how much you can claim will depend on the type of gift or contribution you make. If you’re unsure about what and how much you can claim as a tax deduction, or sifting through your income and expenses over the past year just seems too time-consuming or complicated, consider visiting an accountant or tax agent for tax advice.
5 – Support a charity or cause that matters to you
If you’re at a loss at which charity to choose, but want to make a donation for tax purposes, a good strategy is to think about what matters to you.
Find out if a charity supports individual donations
Individuals might wish to choose a charity that aligns with their personal values and ethics. Some charities might relate to your family history or challenges you’ve faced in the past. Tax refund time is an opportunity to support others facing similar circumstances, and help people in need overcome them.
You may also reflect upon your circumstances and donate to support those living in conditions different to what you’ve experienced. Tax time can be used as a moment of reflection, to be thankful we are who we are, and give back to those in need.
In either case, you might decide to support children and communities, or donate to protect refugee children living in the world’s largest refugee camp. These are only some ways to choose a charity at tax time, but what’s important is that you give to a cause that matters to you.
Choosing a charity for corporate donations
Businesses and corporations could align their choice with their company values or culture. For example, if you’re a recruiter, you may wish to support communities facing heavy unemployment or poverty rates. Caterers might donate to feed families impacted by crisis, and communication-based organisations could donate school supplies to support education.
We also have a range of other initiatives that may catch your interest, such as donating to our Child Protection appeal. You can view our selection of initiatives on the ChildFund Appeals page.
Give Back to Get Back
If you haven’t donated to charity in the past financial year, it’s not too late! Donations made before 30 June, in any amount above $2, are considered tax deductible, and will raise the value of your tax return.
All you need to do is search for charities online, choose a cause that you care about, and make a donation. If you would like to support children in developing communities, visit our donation portal now.
For more information on charity donations and tax deductions, visit the Tax Office and ACNC websites.
- What’s the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee?
- Do asylum seekers have the same rights as refugees?
- The rights and protections of refugees’ vs migrants
- Types of refugees
- How ChildFund supports refugees and asylum seekers
- Help champion the rights of displaced children
Today people all over the world are making the hardest decision of their lives – to flee their homes and leave behind everything they’ve built in the hope of finding a safer, better future.
Globally, over 110 million people have been forcibly displaced with over 36.4 million classified as refugees. Children now make up around 40 percent of the world’s displaced people and nearly 1 in 3 children living outside their country of birth is a refugee child.
When a child is forced to flee their home, they lose almost everything. They often are at a greater risk of:
- being unable to go to school,
- a wide range of child protection risks,
- violence and abuse including forced marriage,
- child exploitation, and;
- gender-based violence.
As the number of refugee and asylum-seeking children reach record highs, ChildFund is collaborating with partners in countries such as Moldova, Uganda, and Bangladesh to ensure that all forcibly displaced children can keep learning, stay safe and enjoy their childhood.
Each year on 20 June, the world marks World Refugee Day. An international day designed to champion the rights of refugees and asylum seekers to seek safety and advocate for long term solutions to forced displacement. This World Refugee Day, join us in shining a light on the rights and needs of refugee children. Donate today and help ensure refugee children can keep learning, stay safe and realise their rights.
What’s the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee?
With UNHCR predicting that 130.8 million people will be forcibly displaced because of violence, persecution, or disasters by the end of 2024, it is important to know the difference between types of forced displacement. This is because whether a person is classified as a refugee, asylum seeker or internally displaced person will impact the type of support they receive from governments and international organisations like the UN.
What is an asylum seeker?
An asylum seeker is someone who:
- has crossed an international border,
- and is seeking international protection as a refugee,
- but their request for refugee status has not been approved.
All people fleeing war, conflict or repression and seeking protection in another country should be treated equally, no matter where they are from.
What is a refugee?
Refugees are those who:
- have been forced to flee their country,
- and cross an international border because of war, violence, or a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
- To become legally recognised as a refugee, an individual must apply for asylum.
Therefore, while all refugees were once asylum seekers, not all asylum seekers will receive refugee status.
Refugees are often unable to return home or would face threats to their safety if they did.
In international law, refugees are protected under the 1951 Convention related to the Status of Refugees, which outlines the basic rights that must be afforded to all refugees by national governments. States that have signed the 1951 Convention are obligated to protect refugees and ensure their rights are respected. This means that recognised refugees should be granted the same rights as citizens in the country they are awarded asylum.
What is a forcibly displaced person?
Most forcibly displaced people never cross an international border, and instead remain displaced within their own country. A child, family or community could be displaced within their own country due to a variety of reasons, including conflict, violence, or disasters. At the end of 2022, the number of internally displaced people reached an unprecedented high with over seventy-one million people forced to leave their homes and community.
Do asylum seekers have the same rights as refugees?
When we talk about the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee there can be confusion about the similarities and differences between the two terms. When listening to the news or reading articles on migration, you might notice the terms refugee and asylum seeker being used interchangeably to describe someone who is seeking protection in another country. Yet, asylum seekers and refugees have distinct legal statuses, which impact their rights and protections. This makes it important for us to know the similarities and differences between the two categories.
Let’s delve into the similarities and differences.
Rights of Asylum Seekers
During the asylum process, asylum seekers often face uncertainty and vulnerability, and the rights afforded to asylum seekers can vary from country to country. Asylum seekers from Africa, Asia and the Middle East are often at a greater risk of being denied access to relief and support services when they are seeking asylum.
However, some common rights include:
- The right to non-Refoulement: This means that asylum seekers cannot be forcibly returned to a country where they face persecution while their asylum claim is being processed.
- Access to Basic Services: While their claim for asylum is being assessed, asylum seekers should have access to basic services, including healthcare, education, and housing.
- Work Authorisation: In some cases, asylum seekers can work while their application is pending.
- Freedom of Movement: Asylum seekers can move within the host country.
Rights of recognised refugees
Unlike an asylum seeker, a refugee is officially recognised in international law under the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees to be a refugee. This grants a refugee access to the same rights as nationals in the country they have sought asylum, including:
- Right to Work: All refugees have the right to seek employment. However, refugees can face a variety of challenges securing employment, including discrimination, their qualifications and skills not being recognised in their new country, having limited knowledge of the local job market and limited networks to connect them with potential employers.
- Right to Access to Social Services: Refugees have the right to access social services, including education, healthcare, and social support.
- Freedom of Movement: Refugees can travel within and outside the host country.
- Family Reunification: When refugees are forced to flee their homes, they can remain separated from their families for years. Governments have a responsibility to reunite families through refugee family reunification processes once an individual is granted refugee status.
Regardless of how or in what country a refugee or asylum seeker arrives, everyone has the right to seek asylum in another country. The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right; however, in lots of countries including Australia the internationally recognised right to seek asylum is not always honoured. ChildFund Australia works to support and advocate for the rights of both groups, recognising their unique needs and vulnerabilities.
The rights and protections of refugees’ vs migrants
The terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ are often used interchangeably; however, the two terms have vastly different legal connotations. Migration is often understood to be a voluntary process, in contrast, a refugee is forced to cross international borders and seek protection in another country due to persecution or conflict and as a result, refugees are owed specific protections under international law.
Migrants move to a different country for a variety of reasons, including:
- to work,
- study,
- join family, or
- because of poverty,
- political unrest, or
- climate-related disasters.
Unlike refugees, migrants can safely return to their home country if they choose. Countries manage migration under their own immigration laws. However, while there is no internationally accepted legal definition of a migrant just like refugees, migrants are entitled to have their human rights protected and respected in the country they move to.
Different types of forced displacement and refugees
- Refugees: Those who have fled their home countries due to persecution or conflict. There are also Religious or Political Affiliation Refugees who are fleeing discrimination based on race or political beliefs. War Refugees, who escape conflict for safety and peace.
- Asylum Seekers: Individuals seeking international protection but awaiting official recognition.
- Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): Forced to find new places within their own country due to war or disaster.
- Stateless Persons: An individual living without nationality or identifying documents. Asylum seekers, refugees, IDPs and migrants could also be stateless.
- Economic Migrants: An individual who is moving for financial reasons but not fleeing persecution.
How ChildFund supports refugees and asylum seekers
Globally, children make up 40% (43.3 million) of the world’s displaced people. Most displaced children will spend their entire childhood in displacement struggling to go to school, access basic healthcare or find a safe place to play.
ChildFund collaborates with partner organisations to respond to humanitarian crises and conflict, address the protection risks refugee children face and advocate for children’s rights. We help transform living conditions for refugees residing in camps, minimise protection risks and create safe spaces for refugee children to play and learn.
Championing the rights of displaced children
David’s Story
Driven from their homes by heavy shelling and fighting, 3.7 million people are currently internally displaced and 5.9 million have become refugees due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Thirteen-year-old David* was woken by his mother on 24 February 2022, who told him “You’re not going to school because war has come to us.” It was not long before David’s town was overcome by sounds of gunfire and shelling.
“It was very scary…Things in the house were shaking from the explosions,” said David.
After sheltering in a neighbour’s cellar, David’s family decided to evacuate their town and seek safety at Displaced Persons Centre (DPC).
“The last time we saw my dad was leading us to the evacuation site. My dad went to save other people, and we stayed where people were waiting for buses to evacuate. We rode the school bus, then the bus broke down and we moved to another one. We drove from Kyiv to Volyn for almost a day. We were very tired on the way.”
The Displaced Person Centre provided David and his mother with food, shelter, and a safe place to rest. David’s childhood has been brutally interrupted by conflict that has left him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was at the Displaced Persons Centre that David was able to access the support he needed to manage his symptoms and regain some semblance of his childhood. ChildFund Australia is working with partner organisations in Ukraine and Moldova to provide humanitarian aid and support to children and their families who have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict.
This World Refugee Day, donate to help transform the lives of all refugee children, and ensure they can keep learning, stay safe and enjoy their childhood.
*Names have been changed to protect individuals’ identities.
