Donation Value Guide: How To Value Goods You Give To Charity

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Not only can giving away items you no longer use provide happiness to others, but it can also help you lower your tax bill. That’s because you get a tax deduction for your charitable contributions if you donate to a qualifying organization.

Generally, you must itemize your deductions to get a tax break for your giving.

Starting in 2026, there’s a new above-the-line tax deduction for charitable giving — “above-the-line” means you don’t have to itemize to claim the deduction — but those contributions must be in cash. Giving household items won’t qualify you for the deduction.

If you’re giving household items, here’s what you need to know to figure out the value of your donations and how to claim the deduction.

What to know before you donate and deduct

The first thing to keep in mind is that it’s your job to keep track of the items you give to charity so you can report their value to the IRS. Some tax software programs such as TurboTax will allow you to track your donations year-round on the platform.

Note-taking apps can also be used to scan and upload receipts, or you can go the old-school route and keep records in a folder. Of course, you can also consult with a tax preparer. The best method for you is the one that will keep you organized and that you’ll stick to.

You’ll also have to make sure the items you’re ready to part with are in good enough shape to be donated. Donated clothing and other household goods must be “in good used condition or better,” according to the IRS charitable contribution guide. If you claim a deduction of $500 or more for a used item that’s not in good condition, the IRS says you’d better get an appraisal.

How to figure out the value of your donated items for taxes

Several of the most popular tax software programs will help you figure out the value of your donated items. If you need a quick estimate, the lists below give you an approximate value of commonly donated items as suggested in the Salvation Army’s donation value guide.

If you don’t see your item in the list below and an appraisal isn’t required, Goodwill recommends using 30 percent of the item’s original price as a good starting point for determining tax value.

Remember, generally you must itemize your deductions on your tax return to be able to claim a tax break for your donated goods.

For context, when you do your taxes, you must choose between claiming the standard deduction and itemizing your deductions. With the standard deduction worth $15,750 for a single filer in 2025, up from $14,600 in 2024 ($31,500 for a married couple filing jointly in 2025, up from $29,200 in 2024), your total itemized deductions must add up to more than that amount for it to make sense to itemize deductions.

In other words, only people with hefty itemized deductions get a tax break for charitable contributions.

That’ll change come 2026 for cash contributions: That’s when the new above-the-line deduction for up to $1,000 of charitable donations ($2,000 for a married-filing-jointly couple) will be available no matter whether you itemize or claim the standard deduction. But, again, that new tax break doesn’t apply if you’re donating goods.

How to deduct your donated goods

You don’t have to send in a list of donated items with your tax return. Just keep the information with your personal records and put the total contribution amount on your Schedule A (or your tax software will do it for you).

Be sure to get a receipt from the charity when you donate your goods — again, for your personal records. The nonprofit won’t put a dollar value on the receipt, but the paperwork will help you prove that you did, indeed, donate the property if the IRS asks.

If you make a single non-cash gift worth between $250 and $500 (for example, if you donate a vehicle), you’re required to have a receipt or a written acknowledgment of your gift from a qualified charitable organization.

If the total of all your contributed property comes to more than $500, you must file IRS Form 8283 with your tax return.

Donation value guide for 2024 and 2025

Men’s clothing

Women’s clothing

Children’s clothing

Household goods

Miscellaneous items

Appliances

Furniture