Used clothing and household items are likely to be worth a lot less than you paid for them, but they still have to be in reasonably good condition if you want to take a deduction. For any donations you make over $250, you’ll need to make sure to get a receipt from the organization you’re donating it to.
Determining a Donated Item’s Fair Market Value
The IRS uses fair market value (FMV) to establish the amount you can deduct for almost all donated items. The IRS defines FMV as what a consumer would willingly pay for an item if neither the seller nor the buyer was under any duress to make the sale. Both parties must also be reasonably well-informed. Some organizations post approximate values for various items on their websites, but these are just guidelines. For example, the Salvation Army won’t tell you what your particular item is worth when you hand it over, but it does list values for items like appliances, clothing, and furniture on its site. Goodwill’s values are based on what they’re generally able to sell items for at their locations. Goodwill says that the dollar values listed on their website, or 30% of the item’s original purchase price, should be a close estimate, but this assumes it’s not in awful condition. The IRS indicates that the fair market value of furniture, in particular, should not be judged by this rule of thumb.
Clothing
You may be able to claim the below tax deductions for some common clothing items you donated. These values are according to The Salvation Army and Goodwill. You can also use the Goodwill Fair Market Value calculator.
Adult’s Clothes
Skirts: $3 to $8Dresses: $4 to $62Pants: $4 to $23Shoes: $2 to $30Sweaters: $3 to $16
Children’s Clothes
Skirts: $2 to $6Pants/jeans: $2 to $12Dresses: $2 to $12Sweaters: $2 to $10Shoes/boots: $3 to $21
You might want to take photos of everything before you give items away so you can substantiate your opinion of above-average quality if you claim a number on the high side. The fair market value of used clothing is usually a great deal less than what you paid.
Appliances
The maximum value of a used appliance can vary depending on the type of appliance. Some used appliances might be worth twice as much if they’ve been kept in excellent condition, while others might be valued at four or five times as much. Appliances should be gently used and they must still work. Here’s what you may be able to deduct at tax time:
Air conditioners: $21 to $93 Color televisions: $78 to $233Microwaves: $10 to $50Washing machines: $41 to $156Dryers: $47 to $93 Electric stoves: $78 to $156 Gas stoves: $52 to $130 Vacuum cleaners: $5 to $67
Electronics
You might need the help of an appraiser or other professional for more expensive, high-tech electronic items, but here are’s an estimated range if you want to give away an old DVD player or computer equipment:
Monitor: $5 to $51Printer: $1 to $155Computer system: $104 to $415Keyboards: $0.30 to $10DVD player: $8 to $16Stereo system: $16 to $78Tablet: $25 to $150
Furniture and Other Household Items
A lot of variables exist in this category, particularly for furniture. Age might not be much of a determinant. What if you’re donating an antique? It might be old, but that hardly makes it worthless. In fact, some furniture may have increased in value because of how old it is. You’ll almost certainly need an appraisal in this case. The condition of the piece tends to be far more important than age, assuming it’s not an antique, as is style. A type of sofa that was all the rage back in 2010 might have negligible value now, and it’s certainly not an antique yet, either. As for things like linens, they tend to retain very little value after they’ve been used. Otherwise, you may be able to deduct the below values:
Twin bed: $36 to $104Full or larger bed: $52 to $176Bedspread or blanket: $3 to $25Coffee table: $15 to $100Desk: $26 to $145Dresser: $20 to $104End table: $10 to $75Lamps: $3 to $78Rugs: $2 to $93Sofa: $36 to $395Towels: $0.50 to $4Upholstered chair: $10 to $104
As with clothing items, the fair market value of household items is typically much less than what you paid for them. And these items all fall under the “good used condition or better” IRS rule as well.
Valuable Donations
You can’t really take a guess as to condition or value when it comes to donating expensive items. You probably won’t find them on any charity’s published list of approximate values, either. Things like jewelry, artwork, paintings, and antiques almost always require appraisals. You’ll need to get most of your donations of items worth more than $5,000 appraised. You can request a Statement of Value from the IRS if you’re donating anything that’s extremely valuable—worth $50,000 or more—but it will cost you $7,500 for one to three items and $400 each for every item over three. As for aircraft, cars, and boats, the rules here are particularly tricky. They can vary from one area of the country to another, and you might have a choice of valuation methods depending on what the charity does with the gift. Some commercial firms and trade organizations publish guidelines based on your location, but they don’t take the place of an appraisal. You may also be limited to the gross proceeds if the organization sells the vehicle rather than uses it and you’re claiming more than $500 for it.
How to Claim Charitable Donations When You File Your Tax Return
For tax year 2022, and most tax years, you are required to itemize your deductions to claim your charitable gifts and contributions. Itemizing your tax return to include charitable donations and contributions means filing Schedule A with your Form 1040 tax return, detailing all the deductions you’re claiming.
Itemizing vs. Claiming the Standard Deduction
Itemizing is usually only worth your while if your total qualifying itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction for your filing status for the year. You can’t itemize and take the standard deduction, so you should use the method that will reduce your taxable income the most.
Additional Forms You May Need
You must get a written acknowledgment or receipt from the organization for any gift you make for which you’re claiming a deduction of $250 or more. You’ll also have to submit Form 8283 for many of these items. Section A of Form 8283 must be submitted for all donations valued at over $500, and really pricey gifts over $5,000 require that you fill out Section B and have an appraisal to support the value. Household goods and clothing items that aren’t in at least good, used condition require an appraisal as well as completion of Section B if you claim more than $500 for them.
