STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Donating Clothes, Etc. + Receipt

nicoley · Coach

Im not sure how you prove whats inside, but when i donate clothes to the goodwill, they let me write on the receipt what i have brought. And i usually just write 3 bags full of clothes, or something general like that, and have never had a problem

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Oh sweet, I typed up the inventory list (nerdy, I know) and I think I'll make them a copy and hopefully they'll sign that or staple it to their receipt.

member · Hermes

FWIW I just did my taxes and I did not have to itemize everything I donated to Goodwill. I just had to put how many items or bags of clothes and how much I estimated them to be worth. That was it.

Sibeski · Dooney & Bourke

I use this: http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-preparation/itsdeductible.jhtml
It already has the fair market values programmed in, then I turn it into the accountant at tax time.

Elle · Hermes

I donated quite a bit of clothing and home items last year, and wrote them off on our taxes. I take a digital picture of everything I donate just in case. Some online tax programs need a count of how many items you donated and what category they fall into (ours did) so my pictures came in handy!

bex · Chanel

they give me a receipt and generally it says "donated one small bag of clothes" or "one medium box of kitchen goods", then i put the cost i would approximately get if i sold it at a garage sale and turn in it to my tax guy!

hth!

kealoha · Kate Spade

we just hauled a ton of stuff to goodwill today. on the receipt, they have boxes to check-off for household, clothing, and other. i just check off whatever and write an estimate of what we donated.

Suasoria · Chanel

Can any of you estimate the actual value for tax purposes? It's always seemed like it would be so minimal it's not worth the time and trouble.

Elle · Hermes

I donated a few bags of clothing/shoes/home items and valued most at about $5 each (which is about what Goodwill would sell them for). There were roughly 50 assorted items in each load, which comes out to a $750 write off. If you're donating them anyway and it comes out to maybe $100 or more over the year, I'd say the effort to claim them is worth it. Less than that maybe not.

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Elle wrote:

Some online tax programs need a count of how many items you donated and what category they fall into (ours did) so my pictures came in handy!

This is what got my original question going because this is how my tax software itemizes everthing and wondered how I would know if I stuff everything into a bag w/o keeping an inventory of the condition and type of item it is.

Suasoria - I've accumulated a bunch of items since last year and redecorated and we have outgrown or grown to dislike a bunch of clothes and household items to the point that I probably will accumulate 8 big trashbags full of stuff by the time I'm done with my spring cleaning and its only April! Everything is in very good condition. I think it's worth it because my salary has greatly increased since last year and do not own any property yet and donating will lower my tax bracket just a bit.