How much can I deduct on donations for clothing and charitable organizations in 2025?

Does the value of clothing donations get recorded per item or can I just estimate the total value of each bag? Also, what if the charity didn't give me a receipt when I dropped off the clothes? Can I still claim the deduction somehow?

You should record the value of clothing with reasonable detail - not necessarily each sock, but categories like "5 men's dress shirts: $50" or "3 women's jeans: $45." This level of detail helps if you're ever audited. If you didn't get a receipt at dropoff, contact the organization and request one. Most legitimate charities can provide this documentation retroactively. Without any receipt, the IRS could disallow the deduction during an audit, though for donations under $250, you might be able to use other evidence of the donation (like photos or emails) if absolutely necessary.

Can taxr.ai actually tell you if you should itemize vs. take the standard deduction? My husband and I donate a lot but we've always just taken the standard deduction because we didn't think our donations would be enough to matter.

Does this work for non-cash donations too? Like I volunteered a ton of hours at my kid's school fundraisers and drove my personal vehicle for charity events - can it tell me if those things are deductible?

Yes, it actually has a feature that compares your potential itemized deduction total to the standard deduction amount for your filing status. It shows you which option would give you the better tax benefit based on all your deductible expenses, not just donations. This helped me see that I was about $2,000 short of making itemizing worthwhile. For non-cash donations like volunteer time, the tool clarifies what's deductible and what isn't. While your actual volunteer hours aren't deductible (unfortunately), your mileage driven for charitable purposes definitely is (currently at 14 cents per mile). It helped me document these types of expenses properly with the supporting evidence the IRS would need.

How does Claimyr actually work? Do they somehow have a secret line to the IRS or something? Because I've literally spent HOURS on hold before giving up.

Yeah right. No way this actually works. The IRS is impossibly backlogged and there's no "special access" that can get you through the phone lines. Sounds like a scam to me.

They use technology that continuously calls and navigates the IRS phone tree for you. When they reach a real person, you get a call back so you can speak directly with the IRS agent. There's no special access line - they're just automating the frustrating part where you'd normally be waiting on hold or getting disconnected. It's definitely not a scam. I was super skeptical too, which is why I tried it as a last resort. But it worked exactly as described - I got a call back when they reached an agent, and I was able to ask all my specific questions about donation valuation requirements. Saved me hours of frustration and I got the exact information I needed directly from the IRS.

Thank you for this tip! We actually donated a car to charity last year in addition to all the clothing. I'm thinking that might put us over the AGI limitations you mentioned. How do I calculate that carryforward amount? Is there a specific form for it?

For vehicle donations over $500, you'll need to complete Section A of Form 8283 and attach it to your return. If the charity sells the vehicle, your deduction is generally limited to the gross proceeds from the sale (the charity should provide you with Form 1098-C showing this amount). For calculating the carryforward, you'll use Schedule A to report your current year donations. If your contributions exceed the AGI limitations, the excess automatically carries forward - the IRS instructs you to keep records of these amounts. When you file next year, you'll include the carried forward amount on Schedule A as well. Publication 526 has worksheets to help track these carryforwards correctly.

What counts as "good condition" though? Is there an actual definition? I tend to donate clothes that are totally wearable but maybe a bit faded or out of style.

The IRS doesn't give a super specific definition, but "good used condition or better" generally means the item is clean, functional, and something a reasonable person would actually want to wear or use. Faded or out-of-style items are usually fine as long as they're not damaged, stained, or worn out. I always use the "thrift store test" - if a decent thrift store would accept and sell the item, it's probably good enough. Items with holes, permanent stains, broken zippers, or that are just completely worn out won't qualify. The key is being honest about the condition when you're valuing the items - don't claim full thrift store value for something that's barely wearable. @Joshua Wood - sorry you had to learn this the hard way during an audit! That s'exactly why I m'super careful about what I include in my donation bags now.

This is incredibly helpful, especially the tip about taking photos before dropping off donations! I wish I had known about the different AGI limits for cash vs. property donations earlier. I've been lumping everything together when trying to figure out if itemizing would be worth it. Quick question - when you mention Publication 561 value ranges, do those amounts seem realistic for current thrift store prices? I feel like thrift stores have gotten more expensive lately, so I'm wondering if those IRS guidelines are keeping up with actual fair market values. Also, the out-of-pocket volunteer expenses tip is great - I bought a bunch of decorations and supplies for our church fundraiser last year and had no idea I could deduct those. Do I need any special documentation from the organization, or are my receipts enough proof?