TAX REFUND ON YOUR DONATIONS TO THE PARISH
Will you donate more than €250 to the Church this year?
It may be worth 45% more under The Charitable Donation Scheme
Would you be willing to make a donation that won’t cost you a cent?
Believe it or not, you can and its not too complicated either!
TAX REFUND ON YOUR DONATIONS TO THE PARISH
Your Parish can maximise the benefit from donations that you the parishioners are already giving in weekend and special church collections and it does not involve asking for more.
The Finance Act 2001 introduced the “Scheme of Tax Relief for Donations to Charities and Eligible Bodies”. Since then, most charities have been advising donors about the benefits and as a charity all parishes in our diocese are entitled to avail of this scheme.
Examples:
John is a self employed carpenter and during 2015 donated €500.00 to his parish. The parish claims a refund from the Revenue of an additional €224.63. The parish gets the initial €500 donation plus the €224.63 tax refund = € 724.63.
Mary works part time as a PAYE tax payer and also has some self-assessed income tax to pay and during 2015 donated €500.00 to the parish envelope collection. Mary also made a once-off donation of €250 towards church refurbishment. The parish claims a refund from the Revenue of an additional €336.96. The parish gets the initial €750 donation plus the €336.96 tax refund = €1,086.96
It’s really easy to apply and it only takes a couple minutes to complete the form required to reclaim the tax.
By reclaiming tax on your donation, the Church can increase the donation value by up to an additional 45%.
The minimum individual donations to the Parish in any year must be at least €250.
Here is a quick Recap
The amount repaid to the parish cannot exceed the tax paid by the donor for that year, so we cannot claim tax back in respect of contributions from non-tax paying parishioners.
Each individual must complete an Enduring Certificate or Annual Certificate which is maintained on the Parish records and includes your PPS/tax reference number and is our evidence of approval by you for the Parish to submit a tax relief claim.
The Certificates do not require details of annual income.
We have to be able to track and prove contributions via the planned giving envelope system
*The form does not contain any financial information
Download the CHY3 or CHY4 form below, print out, complete the details and either drop or post into the Parish Office. It’s that simple!.
FAQs
How much is the Tax Rebate Worth
An extra 45% approx. on donations over €250
Does it only apply to single Donations of over €250
No – If you made multiple donations to the Church over the course of 1 year, which in total are great than €250, then these are eligible for a Tax Rebate.
What if I support more than one Charity
There is no limit to the number of eligible charities that can claim tax relief when you give each of them over €250. However, what charities are paid by Revenue cannot exceed the total tax you actually paid. If the tax you paid is less than the total being claimed by charities, Revenue will pay them on a first-come, first-served basis.
What payments qualify as donations for tax purposes
Any donations which you made yourself (not on behalf of or refunded by another party) from which you and people connected with you obtained no tangible benefit (e.g. if you bought raffle tickets, raised sponsorship yourself or sponsored someone to go on an overseas trek, they would not qualify).
I dont' like revealing my tax details
You are NOT required to provide any details of your income or tax paid. All that’s required is your signature and PPS number, which you can find on most tax/social welfare documents addressed to you. The charity will retain this number securely and only for the purposes of obtaining tax rebates on your donations.
What if I'm not employed or on a pension?
If you have a pension, investments or any other income on which you pay either income tax or capital gains tax, that’s eligible for tax relief.
What's the difference between CHY3 and CHY4 forms?
CHY3 enduring certificate simply enables the charity to claim tax relief if you donate €250+ in any of the five years covered by the form. It simplifies the tax relief process for both you the donor and the charity. It’s the most effective method for charities to claim the tax rebate. Note it does NOT commit you to making donations to the charity.
CHY4 Annual Certificate only allows the charity to claim tax relief for the year in which you made the donation. If you donate to the charity in any following year, you will need to complete the CHY4 form again.
Can I renew an Enduring Certificate after 5 years?
Yes, and you will be able to do so without further paperwork. The charity may contact you by phone or email. It would be helpful if you supplied your phone number and/or email on the CHY3 form.
Can I cancel an Enduring Certificate?
Yes – send an email to the charity directly, asking them to cancel the enduring certificate.
What is the minimum and maximum amount which qualifies for tax relief?
Donations over €250 and under €1,000,000 qualify.