What’s Changing 

Effective December 24, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service is updating its postmark policies in a way that could affect your year-end charitable giving. Previously, postmarks reflected the date you deposited your mail. Now, postmarks indicate when mail is processed at a postal facility, which may be one or more days after you mail it. 

Why This Matters for Donors

Under federal tax law, charitable contributions made by mail are considered complete on the date of the postmark. This has allowed donors to mail checks on December 31 and claim the deduction for that tax year. However, if a check mailed on December 31 is not processed until January, the postmark will reflect the January date, shifting your deduction to the following year. 

This change affects gifts mailed to any nonprofit organization, including the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. 

How to Protect Your Tax Deduction with a Mailed Gift 

If you plan to mail a year-end gift, consider these options: 

Mail Earlier: Send your donation well before December 31 to allow time for postal processing. 

Request a Manual Postmark: At no extra charge, you can request a manual postmark at any Post Office counter when mailing your gift. This postmark reflects the actual acceptance date. 

Purchase Proof of Mailing: For $2.40, you can obtain a Certificate of Mailing or use certified mail ($5.30) for tracking and proof of delivery. These services provide documentation of when the USPS accepted your gift. 

*Pre-printed postage from kiosks, online services, or postage meters does not prove when the USPS accepted your mail. 

Other Giving Options for Cash Gifts 

Give Online: Online donations through our website are processed immediately and eliminate postmark concerns entirely. 

Give in Person: Our office will be open until 5pm on December 31. 

Give by ACH/Wire: Contact us for transfer details. 

Questions? 

We understand these changes may create uncertainty for year-end giving. If you have questions about making your gift to the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, please contact Colleen Hill, VP of Development and Donor Services at chill@cfhz.org or Sydney Santa Ana, Donor Services and Events Manager, at ssantaana@cfhz.org. We’re here to help ensure your generous support is processed smoothly, your charitable intentions are fulfilled, and your deduction is assigned to the intended calendar year.