Want credit for donating stuff?

Have you ever ended up with a pile of stuff that you want to donate, but don’t know what your next steps are? I just stumbled upon a fantastic article about how to get a tax credit for donating your unused stuff.

In addition to getting them out of the trunk, one of the things many people struggle with is assigning a “fair market value” to items.  The IRS requires you to do this but doesn’t provide a listing for reference. Lots of people skip this step and never get their tax credit! Fortunately, if you want a good jumping-off point, Goodwill Industries provides this price list that helps you determine a fair amount. Sweet!

When you drop off your items, ask the organization to provide a receipt so that you can use this to back up your donation in case of an audit. I’m not a tax professional, of course, so talk to your accountant if you have questions.

What are you waiting to donate? I have a stack of paperbacks in the garage that’s growing! How about you?