If you are eligible to deduct charitable contributions
for federal income tax purposes (see Qualifying for
a Tax Deduction later) and you want to claim a
deduction for donating your car to charity, then you
should make certain that the charity is a qualified
organization. Otherwise, your donation will not be
tax deductible. The most common types of qualified
organizations are section 501(c)(3) organizations, such
as charitable, educational, or religious organizations.
This publication refers to section 501(c)(3) organizations
generally as “charities.”
To verify that an organization is a charity qualified
to receive tax-deductible contributions, see IRS
Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations, an
annual list of most charities. Publication 78 is available
online at www.irs.gov/eo (under the Search for Charities.
Determining the Value of Your Car
The maximum amount you can deduct on your income tax return is the fair market value of your car. Fair market value is the price a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would accept for the car, when neither party is compelled to buy or sell, and both parties have reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts. Some fundraisers have mistakenly claimed that donors can, in all cases, deduct the full value of their cars as found in a used car guide (such as “blue book” value). A used car guide may be a good starting point to value your car, but you should exercise caution. The IRS will only allow a deduction for the fair market value of the car, which may be substantially less than the “blue book” value. Example: You donate your car to the local high school for use by students studying car repair. Your credit union representative told you that the “blue book” value of the car is $1,600. However, your car needs extensive repairs, and after some checking, you find that you could only sell your car for $750. Your charitable contribution deduction may not exceed $750, the fair market value of the car. For information on determining the value of your car, see Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property. If you used your car in a trade or business, see the rules for contributions of capital gain property in Publication 526.
Determining the Value of Your Car
The maximum amount you can deduct on your income tax return is the fair market value of your car. Fair market value is the price a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would accept for the car, when neither party is compelled to buy or sell, and both parties have reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts. Some fundraisers have mistakenly claimed that donors can, in all cases, deduct the full value of their cars as found in a used car guide (such as “blue book” value). A used car guide may be a good starting point to value your car, but you should exercise caution. The IRS will only allow a deduction for the fair market value of the car, which may be substantially less than the “blue book” value. Example: You donate your car to the local high school for use by students studying car repair. Your credit union representative told you that the “blue book” value of the car is $1,600. However, your car needs extensive repairs, and after some checking, you find that you could only sell your car for $750. Your charitable contribution deduction may not exceed $750, the fair market value of the car. For information on determining the value of your car, see Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property. If you used your car in a trade or business, see the rules for contributions of capital gain property in Publication 526.
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