Can non-cash charitable donations still save on taxes after tax law changes?

You're right about needing to complete Form 8283 when your total non-cash donations exceed $500. This form requires you to itemize each donation with descriptions, dates, and fair market values. For the tax benefit question - it really depends on your overall tax situation. The standard deduction is quite high now ($29,200 for married filing jointly in 2025), so unless your total itemized deductions (including mortgage interest, state/local taxes up to $10,000, and charitable donations) exceed that amount, you won't see any tax benefit from donations. If you're already itemizing because your other deductions put you over the standard deduction threshold, then yes, these donations do still provide tax benefit - they directly reduce your taxable income by the fair market value of the items. For the $5,000 appraisal requirement - you're correct that this applies to single items (or groups of similar items) valued at $5,000 or more. Since none of your individual donations approach this value, you don't need to worry about getting formal appraisals.

After struggling with similar donation questions last year, I found an amazing tool that saved me hours of documentation headaches. I was using spreadsheets to track everything and stressing about valuing items correctly, then I discovered https://taxr.ai which does all the heavy lifting. It analyzed all my donation receipts and even helped determine fair market values for everything. The best part was that it automatically organized everything for Form 8283 and even flagged which items might need additional documentation. It was especially helpful for categorizing all the different types of clothing and household items.

I was really doubtful about using a specialized tool for donations, but I gave https://taxr.ai a try after my last comment. Huge difference! Instead of guessing values for everything, it walked me through each item and suggested appropriate values based on condition and quality. My "5 bags of clothes" turned into properly documented items with reasonable values. When I finished, it generated a complete report that plugged right into my tax software. The best part was when it flagged a designer handbag I had forgotten was in one of the donation bags - apparently it was worth way more than I thought. Definitely more accurate than my old method of just guesstimating everything.

If you're still considering whether to sell vs donate, you should also factor in the time cost of selling. I tried selling furniture on Craigslist and spent WEEKS dealing with no-shows and lowball offers. So frustrating! When I finally calculated my "hourly rate" for the time I spent, it was like $3/hour. Then there's the IRS problem - I've been trying to call them with questions about donation documentation for literally DAYS. Always busy signals or disconnected after waiting forever. I finally used https://claimyr.com to get through (found it in this YouTube demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and actually spoke to a real person who answered my questions about Form 8283 requirements.

Alright, I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to ask about a specific donation documentation issue. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes (after trying for THREE DAYS on my own). The agent confirmed that for my situation (similar to yours with multiple smaller donations throughout the year), I only needed detailed records with fair market values - no appraisals needed unless any single item was worth over $5k. She also explained that even with the higher standard deduction, donation deductions are still valuable if you're already itemizing for other reasons. Huge relief to get a clear answer directly from the IRS!

Don't forget to get receipts for EVERYTHING you donate, no matter how small! The IRS can disallow deductions without them. Thrift stores should give you a receipt, but be aware that most just give you a blank receipt where YOU fill in the value. Keep photos of larger donated items too. I learned this the hard way when I got audited in 2023 for my 2022 returns. I claimed about $4,200 in donations but only had receipts for about half. The IRS disallowed everything I couldn't document.

Has anyone used the IRS's Donation Value Guide? I found it super helpful for figuring out reasonable values. Men's shirts $2-12, women's dresses $4-22, etc. Just Google "IRS donation value guide" and you'll find it. Also worth knowing - you can only deduct fair market value (what someone would pay for the used item), NOT what you originally paid. So that $2000 couch you bought 10 years ago might only be worth $200-300 for donation purposes.

The key thing to remember is that charitable donations are only beneficial if you're itemizing deductions. With the standard deduction at $29,200 for married filing jointly in 2025, you need your total itemized deductions (charitable donations + mortgage interest + state/local taxes + medical expenses) to exceed that amount. If you're already over the threshold due to mortgage interest and state taxes, then yes - those donations absolutely still provide tax savings. Each dollar of fair market value reduces your taxable income by a dollar. For your specific situation with $2,700-$3,800 in donations, you'll definitely need Form 8283 since you're over the $500 threshold. But since no individual items are worth $5,000+, you just need to maintain good records with descriptions, dates, fair market values, and receipts - no professional appraisals required. One tip: don't undervalue your donations. Use resources like the Salvation Army Value Guide or Goodwill's valuation tool to ensure you're claiming appropriate fair market values. Many people leave money on the table by being too conservative with their valuations.