Planning to Donate? Read this first.
Many donation drop-off centers accept items year around, and the busiest time is the final six days of the year. At this time, twice as many people take donations to a tax-deductible charity organization to get a last-minute tax receipt. Why? Items donated to this kind of charity before January 1 may be deductible on that years’ tax return.
Things to keep in mind when donating to a tax-deductible charity organization any time of year:
Donors who want to claim a tax deduction should request a receipt from the attendant when dropping off donations (and many are now going paperless on their end and requiring you to download a form from their website). The IRS may allow a deduction for each item, but it is up to the donor to estimate each item’s value.
Have an inventory of your items completed before you drop them off, which is best when it includes photos of each item.
If you have a single donation worth more than $500, you may need to complete IRS Form 8283.
If you have a single donation worth more than $5,000, you may need a qualified written appraisal.
Take a glance at the Salvation Army Valuation Guide. Saver’s is also a great place to donate, as is City Team, all of which have locations around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Find out what Salvation Army / Savers / City Team DO and DO NOT accept.
Other ways to be prepared when donating goods:
Remove all hangers from clothing before donating.
Separate categories of donations as best as possible.
Baby items such as cribs, strollers, safety gates, carseats, and certain toys are considered dangerous liabilities. They could have had recalls, expiration dates, and unknown crashes or damage, and is why they are not accepted at donation centers. Recycle or utilize trade-in events for these items, because it can also be dangerous to give them to a friend, neighbor, or stranger you find online. Find alternatives here.
Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Girl With A Truck™ & Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area since 2007.
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