Donate to Charity for Goodwill and Tax Deductions!
If you’re unable to sell some of your items after a yard sale or before a move (like I’m about to go through) and want to drop them off at Goodwill, follow a few steps to make sure you get credit on your taxes next year.
Write down a specific list of what you’re donating.
Assign a dollar amount to the donation. The market value is what you would get if you sold it at someplace like a consignment shop. To help figure out the worth of an item, use www.goodwillpromo.org or www.salvationarmyusa.org.
Get a receipt when you drop it off. Donation centers should have receipts available. (I normally receive a blank receipt when I drop off. I’m responsible for detailing the list of items donated and assigning their value.) If you are mailing your items to a charity, send a SASE so they can send you a receipt (shipping costs are tax-deductible, too, so hold onto that documentation as well).