California charitable giving
Give the same amount. Pay less tax on it.
The 2026 federal tax law changed what charitable giving saves - a new 0.5% floor, a small deduction for people who don't itemize, and a cut for the top bracket. California adopted none of it. This compares the ways to give what you already give, both sides.
Your numbers
Before gifts. Include any IRA withdrawals.
Anything you itemize apart from taxes and gifts.
Cash.
Appreciated stock (optional)
2026 federal rules and the FTB's 2026 California rate schedules. Every figure verified October 27, 2026.
When to give
The same total over 6 years, timed three ways. Bunching puts two or three years of giving into one year - usually through a donor-advised fund - so it clears the standard deduction and the new 0.5% floor once instead of every year.
| How you give | Federal | California | Six-year tax | vs every year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every year$12,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | $155,400 | $57,367 | $212,767 | - |
| Bunch every 2 years$24,000 / - / $24,000 / - / $24,000 / - | $154,578 | $55,749 | $210,327 | $2,440 less |
| Bunch every 3 years - lowest$36,000 / - / - / $36,000 / - / - | $150,943 | $55,209 | $206,152 | $6,615 less |
- Bunch every 3 years is lowest - $6,615 less tax over 6 years than giving every year.
- In an off year you can still give up to $2,000 straight to charities and take the new deduction for people who don't itemize.
- Income, deductions and the 2026 rules are held the same across all 6 years, so the only thing compared is timing. A carryover used in a year you don't itemize is treated as used up, which can only understate bunching.
Figures entered
- Filing status
- Married filing jointly
- Income
- $200,000
- Property taxes
- $6,000
- Other deductions
- $0
- Annual giving
- $12,000
- 70½ or older
- No
Astute Advisors, Charitable Giving Optimizer. Figures verified October 27, 2026. Every figure is an estimate, income tax only. General information, not tax advice.
Planning a bigger gift, or giving every year without a plan?
Timing, what you give and where it comes from interact with the rest of your return. A planning call puts them together. Business owner? See the Year-End Tax Planning Estimator too.
Book a planning callEvery figure verified October 27, 2026 against the Internal Revenue Code, irs.gov and ftb.ca.gov. Nothing you enter leaves your browser. General information, not tax advice.