Can I deduct donation of furniture to 1-800-GOT-JUNK on my taxes and how would I document it?

I recently had 1-800-GOT-JUNK haul away about $1,350 worth of furniture from my house, and I'm wondering if I can claim this as a charitable donation on my taxes. The items were all in really good condition - we just needed to upgrade some things after my mom moved in with us. The couch, dining table, and bedroom set were barely 3 years old! I kept the receipt from 1-800-GOT-JUNK because they advertise that most items get donated or recycled rather than going to landfills. But now I'm confused about whether this actually counts as a charitable donation for tax purposes. Do I need some kind of additional documentation beyond the pickup receipt? Does 1-800-GOT-JUNK provide any tax forms or proof that the items were actually donated? Has anyone successfully deducted items picked up by this service on their taxes? What's the proper way to claim this on my return? I'm using TurboTax if that matters.

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23 comments

Caleb Stark

•8M

This is a great question that comes up frequently! Unfortunately, giving items to 1-800-GOT-JUNK typically doesn't qualify as a charitable donation for tax purposes. Here's why: 1-800-GOT-JUNK is a for-profit junk removal service, not a qualified charitable organization. While they may donate or recycle some items, they're not registered as a 501(c)(3) charity. For tax deductions, you must donate directly to qualified charitable organizations like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other IRS-recognized nonprofits. If you want to claim donations in the future, I'd recommend taking furniture directly to a qualified charity that will provide you with a donation receipt. Make sure to document the fair market value of items, take photos, and get proper acknowledgment from the charity. For donations over $250, you need written acknowledgment from the charity, and for items over $500, you need to file Form 8283 with your tax return.

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Caleb Stark

•8M

Even if they told you they'd take items to Goodwill, it doesn't qualify for a tax deduction. The IRS requires that you donate directly to the qualified organization. When you use a middle-party like 1-800-GOT-JUNK, you're technically giving your items to them, not to the charity. Think of it this way: if you give $20 to your friend who promises to donate it to charity, you can't claim that deduction because you didn't give directly to the charity. The same principle applies here. To claim the deduction, you need documentation directly from the qualified charitable organization acknowledging your donation.

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Hunter Edmunds

•8M

I went through something similar last year when I was cleaning out my parents' house. After hours of researching tax rules and getting nowhere, I finally used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to analyze my situation. It was super helpful because I uploaded my receipts and it immediately clarified that intermediary services like junk haulers don't qualify for deductions, even if they later donate the items. The tool also showed me exactly what documentation I would need for legitimate donations in the future - apparently there are specific IRS requirements for non-cash donations depending on the value. Saved me from potentially making a mistake on my return!

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Hunter Edmunds

•8M

The tool basically analyzes your tax documents and gives you personalized advice. You can upload receipts, forms, or even take pictures of documents, and it uses AI to interpret them and tell you what's deductible. It's really straightforward - I just took pictures of my 1-800-GOT-JUNK receipt and some donation receipts I had. As for accuracy, I was initially concerned too, but the platform actually has tax professionals who review complex cases. Everything it told me matched exactly with what my accountant friend later confirmed. The advice includes citations to specific IRS publications and tax code sections, so you can verify everything yourself if you want to be extra careful.

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Ella Lewis

•8M

I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it actually saved me from making a mistake on my taxes! I had about $2,000 worth of furniture removed by a local junk service (similar to 1-800-GOT-JUNK) and was planning to deduct it. The tool immediately flagged that this wouldn't qualify as a charitable donation and explained why - basically that using a middle-man service breaks the direct donation chain required by the IRS. It then suggested alternatives like donating directly to Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity ReStore for future reference. Super helpful and probably saved me from potential audit issues!

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Brianna Schmidt

•8M

If you're still trying to get in touch with the IRS to clarify donation rules, good luck getting through their phone lines! I spent HOURS trying to get someone on the phone about a similar donation question last month. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed exactly what others here are saying - junk removal services don't count as charitable organizations even if they later donate your items. The agent explained I needed to get documentation directly from a qualified 501(c)(3) organization to claim any deduction. Saved me from a potential audit headache!

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Brianna Schmidt

•8M

It works by basically waiting on hold for you. You register your number, and their system navigates the IRS phone tree and waits in the queue. When they finally reach an agent, you get a call connecting you. It's pretty simple. I was super skeptical too! I tried calling the IRS directly for THREE DAYS with no luck. With Claimyr, I got a call back in about 15 minutes and was connected to an actual IRS agent. Honestly was shocked it worked so well. The agent was super helpful in explaining exactly what documentation I needed for my donations.

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Camila Jordan

•8M

I hate to admit when I'm wrong, but I have to say I tried Claimyr after posting that skeptical comment, and it actually worked! Got through to the IRS in about 20 minutes after spending literally days trying on my own. The agent I spoke with was really clear about donation rules - you absolutely cannot claim tax deductions for items given to 1-800-GOT-JUNK since they're not a qualified charity. She explained that I need to get items directly to an IRS-approved charity and get proper documentation from them. For anyone else wondering, if your donation is over $250, you need a specific written acknowledgment from the charity, and for items over $500, you also need to complete Form 8283.

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Tyler Lefleur

•8M

Each charity has different acceptance standards, but you're right that many are selective. Salvation Army tends to be more flexible than Goodwill in my experience. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) will take items with reasonable wear. The best approach is to check their websites for acceptance guidelines before scheduling. Most list exactly what they will and won't take. If your items have significant damage, you might need to use a junk service instead, but then you wouldn't be able to claim a deduction anyway since damaged items have minimal fair market value.

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Max Knight

•8M

No, unfortunately you can't "save up" donation receipts across multiple tax years. The IRS requires you to claim donations in the tax year they were actually made. So if you donate furniture in 2023, you can only claim it on your 2023 tax return. Many people now do "donation bunching" where they save up their donations and make them all in a single tax year. This way, they can itemize in that year and take the standard deduction in other years. For example, instead of donating $5,000 worth of items each year, you might donate $15,000 every third year to exceed the standard deduction threshold.

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Myles Regis

•6M

Thanks everyone for all the detailed responses! This has been super educational. I had no idea about the direct donation requirement or the itemization issue. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like I can't deduct the 1-800-GOT-JUNK pickup, but I'm definitely going to look into those charity pickup services for future donations. The "donation bunching" strategy that Max mentioned is really interesting too - maybe I should plan my donations more strategically. One follow-up question: if I have items that are too worn for charity donation but still have some value, is there any tax benefit at all? Or is it just a loss either way? I'm thinking about some older electronics and appliances that work fine but have cosmetic issues.

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Matthew Sanchez

•5M

For items that are too worn for charity donation, unfortunately there's generally no tax benefit. The IRS requires donated items to be in "good used condition or better" to claim any deduction. If charities won't accept the items due to excessive wear, that's usually a good indicator they don't meet the IRS standard either. However, you might consider selling those functional but cosmetically damaged electronics and appliances instead! Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay could help you recover some value. While you can't claim a tax deduction, at least you get cash instead of paying for removal. Just be honest about the cosmetic issues in your listings - many people are happy to buy functional items at a discount. Another option for electronics specifically is to check if your local Best Buy or other retailers have recycling programs. They often take old electronics for free, though again, no tax benefit.

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Sean Doyle

•5M

Great question! Unfortunately, you cannot claim a tax deduction for items picked up by 1-800-GOT-JUNK, even if they eventually donate them to charity. The IRS requires that you donate directly to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization to claim any deduction - you can't use a middleman service. Here's what you need to know for future donations: - Donate directly to qualified charities like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Habitat ReStore - Get proper documentation from the charity (written acknowledgment for donations over $250) - Items must be in "good used condition or better" - You can only deduct if you itemize deductions on Schedule A Since your furniture was in good condition, you might want to consider charity pickup services next time. Many legitimate charities offer free pickup and provide proper tax documentation. This way you'd get the same convenience as 1-800-GOT-JUNK but with the added benefit of a potential tax deduction. For your current situation, keep that receipt from 1-800-GOT-JUNK for your records, but unfortunately it won't help with your taxes.

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Kyle Wallace

•5M

This is such a comprehensive summary - thank you! I'm new to this community but dealing with a similar situation. I had no idea about the middleman rule before reading this thread. Quick question: when you mention that items need to be in "good used condition or better," how strict is that requirement? I have some furniture that's functional but has minor pet hair embedded in the fabric. Would that disqualify it from donation, or is that considered normal wear and tear? I want to make sure I understand the standards before scheduling a charity pickup. Also, does anyone know if there's a difference in documentation requirements between different qualified charities? Like, does Goodwill have different forms than Salvation Army for the same donation value?

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