What happens if a donor exceeds the required 10% of taxable income for a donation?

If a donor exceeds the required 10% of taxable income for a donation, it triggers donor's taxes on the excess amount. The rationale behind this is that the tax code imposes limits on how much can be deducted in charitable contributions in a given year. When a donation surpasses the allowable limit, the excess portion does not qualify for the tax deduction, which means the donor cannot reduce their taxable income by that excess amount.

Typically, donors are incentivized to give but are also encouraged to contribute within reasonable bounds to prevent abuse of the tax benefits associated with charitable contributions. Therefore, any amount donated above the 10% threshold can lead to a tax liability, effectively resulting in taxes being assessed on the portion that is not deductible.

This system is designed to ensure fairness and prevent potential exploitation of tax deductions by wealthy individuals or entities that may seek to significantly reduce their tax liability through large charitable donations.