Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: The Pima Roughriders’ basketball team celebrates its second consecutive state championship. Support athletics or other school activities by making a dollar-for-dollar tax credit donation of up to $400 per couple.
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SAFFORD — It doesn’t matter if you’re an Apache, a Bulldog, an Eagle, a Roughrider, a Wildcat, or a Wildkat — the Arizona Public School Tax Credit can help you help the school of your choosing.
A donation to the public school of your choosing will earn you a dollar-for-dollar credit against your Arizona tax liability. You can choose the extracurricular activity, club, or fee you want to benefit from your donation — such as band, drama, Skills USA, athletics, or more — or you can leave that decision up to the school’s administration.
You can also enlist donations from out of the area for local public schools. As long as Grandma and Grandpa, or aunts and uncles, live in Arizona and file an Arizona tax return, they qualify for the public school tax credit when they donate to your child’s school.
Couples filing jointly can donate up to $400, individual filers can donate up to $200. However, any amount up to the maximum qualifies for the dollar-for-dollar credit. You can only afford a $50 donation? That’s OK; your school will be happy with anything you can do to help.
This donation keeps your tax dollars local. Your gift goes to work right away in your community, providing support to the eligible school of your choice.
Donations made now through April 15 qualify for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on taxes owed in 2021 Arizona state income tax returns. You can donate all year long; however, donations after April 15 will qualify for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on taxes owed in 2022.
The Graham Greenlee Tax Credit Coalition is a collaborative of local nonprofit organizations promoting the dollar-for-dollar Arizona income tax credit given to people who donate to qualified charitable organizations that serve low-income individuals in Graham and Greenlee counties. The coalition is comprised of hardworking nonprofits that provide immediate basic needs to local people who have low-income, families, or children in need. This year’s members are the Boys and Girls Club of the Gila Valley, Graham County Rehabilitation Center, Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition, Neighbors Farm & Pantry, SEACUS, and Tooth B.U.D.D.S.
Best of all, you can receive the benefit of donating to both a qualified charitable organization — couples filing jointly up to $800 and individuals $400 — and a donation to the public school of your choice.
That means you can get credit for combined donations of up to $1,200 or $600 off your Arizona income tax liability, and keep your tax dollars right here in Graham and Greenlee counties, where they directly help your friends, neighbors, and children.
To learn more about the Arizona Public School Tax Credit and the Qualifying Charitable Organization Tax Credit, go to grahamgreenleetcc.org.
The Graham Greenlee Tax Credit Coalition is grateful to many local businesses and organizations for their generous support, including United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties; Vining Funeral Home; AshCreek Financial; Luke and Teonna Hoopes with Edward Jones; Smith and Taylor Automotive; Farmers Insurance; Farm Bureau Insurance; CMI Quick Copy; the City of Safford; the Town of Thatcher; both Graham and Greenlee Chambers of Commerce; and Safford, Thatcher, and Pima Unified School Districts.
The Arizona Community Foundation of the Gila Valley is proud to serve as the fiscal agent and organizer of this project and tax credit coalition representative, Ted F. Prina, can be reached at 928-965-0903 for questions or comments.
