The whole idea that giving to charity gets you a tax deduction has always been more true in theory than in practice. In general, you only get a tax benefit from charitable donations if you itemize your deductions. Most taxpayers don’t itemize their deductions because the standard deduction is larger than their mortgage interest, state and local taxes, and charitable donations combined.

So the millions of people, working-class and middle-class households, who take the standard deduction get no tax benefit for their charitable gifts. A tax write-off, of course, shouldn’t be high on the reasons one donates to worthy causes, but it’s a bonus and a slight motivator.