What is the Timeline for Claiming Charitable Donations?

Gifts made by you or your spouse in the current year or in any of the immediately preceding five years can be claimed on this year’s return so long as those donations have not already been claimed.

If it’s not to your advantage to claim the donation credit this year, you can even elect not to claim your donations and carry the unclaimed gifts forward for five years. This would be advantageous if you are not taxable or where claiming the total gifts would create a non-refundable credit in excess of your taxable income.