What do I do with my non-cash donation receipts that exceed $250? Documentation help

What if the charity didn't give me a detailed receipt, just the total value? And do I need to take pictures of everything I donate? I've heard different things about documentation.

The receipt should have at least a general description of what you donated, but you don't necessarily need an itemized list from the charity for items under $5,000. However, you should keep your own detailed list of what you donated with estimated values. Taking pictures is a great idea but not strictly required by the IRS. Photos can be helpful supporting documentation if you're ever questioned about the donation. The most important thing is to have a contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the charity that includes their name, donation date, and the statement about goods/services.

How does it handle the valuation part? I always struggle with figuring out the fair market value of my donated items.

That sounds useful but does it actually tell you the specific IRS rules? I'm always worried about missing something important with these donation deductions.

It actually gives you valuation guidelines based on the type of items you donated. For example, it'll show you typical thrift store values for clothing, furniture, and household items to help you determine reasonable fair market values. It definitely covers the IRS rules. That's what I found most helpful - it explained that for donations over $250 I needed the receipt with specific information, and for donations over $500 I needed to complete Form 8283. It even highlighted which sections of the form applied to my situation since the form can be confusing.

How does that even work? Seems weird that something could get you through faster than just calling yourself.

Yeah right. Nothing gets you through to the IRS faster. I've tried everything and still end up waiting for hours or getting disconnected. Sounds like a scam to me.

It uses a system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through to an agent. When someone finally answers, it calls you and connects you directly to the agent. You don't have to sit there listening to hold music for hours. I was skeptical too until I tried it. The IRS doesn't give priority to these calls - Claimyr just does the waiting for you. They basically have systems that can stay on hold with multiple lines until one gets through, which is something we can't do as individuals.

What about when a charity just gives you one of those blank receipts where they write the date but YOU fill in the value? Is that legit enough for the IRS?

That's a good question. Those pre-printed receipts where you fill in the value yourself are acceptable as long as the charity signs or stamps it with their information and includes (or pre-prints) the statement about goods and services. However, for donations over $250, it's better to get a more detailed acknowledgment from the charity. Some charities will mail you a more formal thank-you letter later if you provide your contact information. You can also ask them for a more detailed receipt at the time of donation. The key is having something from the charity that acknowledges what you donated, when you donated it, and includes that no-goods-or-services statement.

Wait, so if I donated like $2000 worth of stuff but my standard deduction is higher, I should just take the standard deduction and forget about the donation for tax purposes?

Exactly! You need to add up ALL your itemized deductions (charitable donations, state and local taxes, mortgage interest, medical expenses over the threshold, etc.) and see if the total exceeds your standard deduction. If your total itemized deductions are less than $13,850 (for single filers), then yes, you should take the standard deduction and you won't get any tax benefit from the charitable donations. It's one of the most common misconceptions - people think they can take the standard deduction AND claim their donations, but it's either/or, not both.