donating used car

Keep a thorough paper trail. If your donation is worth more than $500, you’ll have to attach IRS Form 8283 to your tax return.

If it’s worth more than $5,000, your documentation must include an outside appraisal.

You’ll also need proof of the donation used car, such as a receipt from the charity and a copy of the title change.

Be detail-oriented. This paper trail may seem cumbersome, but think about it: This may be one of the biggest charitable donations you ever make. 

By taking the time to dot the i’s, you can make sure that the charity gets the most benefit and you get the biggest possible deduction.

donating a used car

Your estimate of the donation’s value probably won’t cut it. If your donating a used car or boat is worth more than $500, the IRS is going to want to see evidence of how much the charity got for it. (Most charities that accept these donating a used car turn around and sell them for cash.)

You’ll need to get a receipt from the charity revealing exactly how much money it made.

Know when you can report the fair market value. You won’t need evidence of the sales price if the charity keeps the vehicle or vessel and uses it in its charitable work, or if your donating a used car is worth less than $500.

Then you can report its fair market value based on listings from Kelley Blue Book and similar sources.