The only limit unchanged for the 2012 cycle is for donations to any one political action committee. | REUTERS FEC hikes donor limits for 2012

Donors can chip in a little more to federal candidates for the 2012 election cycle than last time around, thanks to new contribution ceilings.

The Federal Elections Commissions has raised the maximum donors can give to any one candidate to $2,500 for the current cycle, up $100 from the 2010 cycle to account for inflation.


The rules apply to donations for presidential candidates, as well as candidates for the House of Representatives and Senate.

During the last presidential cycle, in 2008, individuals could give no more than $2,300 to each candidate or candidate committee per election. In 2004, the limit was $2,000.

The FEC has also hiked up the limit on annual donations to national parties. For 2011 and 2012, individuals can give $30,800 at most, $400 more than they could give last year.

Any one donor’s contributions during the two-year cycle can at most total $117,000. Of that, $46,200 can go to candidates, while at most $70,800 can go to political action committees and parties. Individual donors also restricted to giving no more than $10,000 annually to state, district and local party committees.

The only limit unchanged for the 2012 cycle is for donations to any one political action committee – that limit remains at $5,000 per calendar year.