How do I get tax relief from donating?

Question

I have things that I need to get rid of (clothes, shoes, etc.). Where can I donate these in order to get that tax relief thing?

Answer 1

You should donate them to an organization like Goodwill, Purple Heart, or a similar organization.

Remember to keep a detailed list of exactly what you donated, and what you believe the fair market value of each item is.

If you donate a large amount of items, you may need to obtain a qualified appraisal of the items in order to claim a deduction for federal income tax purposes.

See the instructions for Form 8283. You can get them by going to www.irs.gov.

Answer 2

Itemize the value of the donated items. You can get allowable values from sites on the internet if your donation exceeds $250.00 in value. Items totalling less than $250.00 do not require a receipt. Entities to whom you donate (Goodwill, Salvation Army) wil normally give you a receipt where you fill in the value.

This amount is then deducted on your Schedule A. It reduces your taxable income.