Donating Used Doors To Charity...
#1
10-03-09, 01:21 PM
Donating Used Doors To Charity...
This probably isn't the best place to ask, but I'm not sure where else to go. I recently replaced two old exterior doors and instead of taking them to the dump, I took them over to the local 'Goodwill' type place.
They gave me an itemized receipt; but told me that they couldn't give me a value for the items. I should just 'give it to my accountant'.
I don't have, nor can I afford, an accountant. So, I've been trying to find something online that will just give me a good, reasonable estimate of what a door is worth. But I can't find one. I find a lot of sites with information on how much t-shirts and jeans are worth for tax purposes...but nothing about building materials.
Has anyone here dealt with this?
The two doors I donated are pictured below....I also gave the screen door for scrap (no idea how much aluminum scrap is worth) and have some light fixtures, tiles, cabinets and wood that I could donate in the near future....but I also don't know how to value any of those.
They gave me an itemized receipt; but told me that they couldn't give me a value for the items. I should just 'give it to my accountant'.
I don't have, nor can I afford, an accountant. So, I've been trying to find something online that will just give me a good, reasonable estimate of what a door is worth. But I can't find one. I find a lot of sites with information on how much t-shirts and jeans are worth for tax purposes...but nothing about building materials.
Has anyone here dealt with this?
The two doors I donated are pictured below....I also gave the screen door for scrap (no idea how much aluminum scrap is worth) and have some light fixtures, tiles, cabinets and wood that I could donate in the near future....but I also don't know how to value any of those.
#2
10-03-09, 01:28 PM
Super Moderator
Just my opinion...screen door...3-5 bucks. The main door looks to be in good condition, but thrift stores aren't where people go to pay premium prices. Maybe $30 if it was in need of nothing more than a minor refinishing.
Instead of Goodwill, see if you have a Re-Store near you. Its run by Habitat for Humanity and is also a tax deduction. You can use their pricing as a guide for your deductions.
Instead of Goodwill, see if you have a Re-Store near you. Its run by Habitat for Humanity and is also a tax deduction. You can use their pricing as a guide for your deductions.
#3
10-03-09, 02:40 PM
RobDude and Gun Guy -- $3 to $5 for the scrape value of the screen door is probably WAY HIGH. I'm betting that, although the frame was aluminum, there wer screws and other parts in it that were steel. That makes it "unclean aluminum". (one little screw will mess up ANY sized piece of aluminum at the recycler!!) Around here, scrap "clean aluminum" (no steel) is about 25 cents a pound. "Unclean aluminum" is about 5 cents per pound. And not removing the screening will make it "unclean" as well.
About a buck for the screen door.
The items that you ar talking about having donated -- the 2 doors and the screen door -- call them $25 total. It'll cost you more than that to hire an accountant and have HIM value them at $25. And I can't see that EVEN IF you were audited by the IRS for whatever reason, that they would really question it. Even if they did question it and disallowed the deduction, it probably wouldn't change your tax liability. And it's not like you be paying $25 less in taxes. You'll simply be reporting $25 less income that you owe taxes on.
Value the rest of the stuff about the same way.
And, if you are REALLY that concerned about what effect it may or may not have on your taxes, simply don't claim it! Not having ANY knowledge of your tax situation, I can't tell you how much (if any) difference the deduction would make. But assuming that you are in a 15% tax bracket, which is where most people are, a $100 deduction will lower your tax liability by $15. Do your REALLY think that that would be enough to trigger an IRS audit (which costs them anywhere from $500 and up, depending on the circumstances).
About a buck for the screen door.
The items that you ar talking about having donated -- the 2 doors and the screen door -- call them $25 total. It'll cost you more than that to hire an accountant and have HIM value them at $25. And I can't see that EVEN IF you were audited by the IRS for whatever reason, that they would really question it. Even if they did question it and disallowed the deduction, it probably wouldn't change your tax liability. And it's not like you be paying $25 less in taxes. You'll simply be reporting $25 less income that you owe taxes on.
Value the rest of the stuff about the same way.
And, if you are REALLY that concerned about what effect it may or may not have on your taxes, simply don't claim it! Not having ANY knowledge of your tax situation, I can't tell you how much (if any) difference the deduction would make. But assuming that you are in a 15% tax bracket, which is where most people are, a $100 deduction will lower your tax liability by $15. Do your REALLY think that that would be enough to trigger an IRS audit (which costs them anywhere from $500 and up, depending on the circumstances).
#4
10-03-09, 10:59 PM
Thanks very much for the post. I'm amazed at how complex taxes are.
Like you said - every dollar of donation value is something like 15 cents in savings off the taxes. I'll still donate; because it seems better than tossing it into the local land-fill. In the end, I don't think the $10-15 dollars I might save on my taxes, is worth the headaches
Like you said - every dollar of donation value is something like 15 cents in savings off the taxes. I'll still donate; because it seems better than tossing it into the local land-fill. In the end, I don't think the $10-15 dollars I might save on my taxes, is worth the headaches
Originally Posted by lefty
RobDude and Gun Guy -- $3 to $5 for the scrape value of the screen door is probably WAY HIGH. I'm betting that, although the frame was aluminum, there wer screws and other parts in it that were steel. That makes it "unclean aluminum". (one little screw will mess up ANY sized piece of aluminum at the recycler!!) Around here, scrap "clean aluminum" (no steel) is about 25 cents a pound. "Unclean aluminum" is about 5 cents per pound. And not removing the screening will make it "unclean" as well.
About a buck for the screen door.
The items that you ar talking about having donated -- the 2 doors and the screen door -- call them $25 total. It'll cost you more than that to hire an accountant and have HIM value them at $25. And I can't see that EVEN IF you were audited by the IRS for whatever reason, that they would really question it. Even if they did question it and disallowed the deduction, it probably wouldn't change your tax liability. And it's not like you be paying $25 less in taxes. You'll simply be reporting $25 less income that you owe taxes on.
Value the rest of the stuff about the same way.
And, if you are REALLY that concerned about what effect it may or may not have on your taxes, simply don't claim it! Not having ANY knowledge of your tax situation, I can't tell you how much (if any) difference the deduction would make. But assuming that you are in a 15% tax bracket, which is where most people are, a $100 deduction will lower your tax liability by $15. Do your REALLY think that that would be enough to trigger an IRS audit (which costs them anywhere from $500 and up, depending on the circumstances).
About a buck for the screen door.
The items that you ar talking about having donated -- the 2 doors and the screen door -- call them $25 total. It'll cost you more than that to hire an accountant and have HIM value them at $25. And I can't see that EVEN IF you were audited by the IRS for whatever reason, that they would really question it. Even if they did question it and disallowed the deduction, it probably wouldn't change your tax liability. And it's not like you be paying $25 less in taxes. You'll simply be reporting $25 less income that you owe taxes on.
Value the rest of the stuff about the same way.
And, if you are REALLY that concerned about what effect it may or may not have on your taxes, simply don't claim it! Not having ANY knowledge of your tax situation, I can't tell you how much (if any) difference the deduction would make. But assuming that you are in a 15% tax bracket, which is where most people are, a $100 deduction will lower your tax liability by $15. Do your REALLY think that that would be enough to trigger an IRS audit (which costs them anywhere from $500 and up, depending on the circumstances).
#5
10-04-09, 05:18 AM
Don't get me wrong -- there is not a thing wrong with donating. I donate what I can, and then recycle everything possible. Tossing something in the garbage is done as the last resort. But very seldom is the donation looked at as a tax decution.
#6
10-04-09, 08:50 AM
Super Moderator
Here they are very strict about the charitable donation of used items.
The tax department uses the argument that the price that used goods are sold at in a retail setting has value added.
A wholesale value has to be established for the deduction.
The problem is that the value is subjective.
Auditors go over these deductions with a fine tooth comb because they are commonly abused.
This is likely why the salvage yard would not assess a value.
So, to be safe if you take a five dollar deduction for a twenty five dollar door you would likely be ok.
I donate quite a bit of stuff and time to charity but just take a "feel good" deduction.
The tax department uses the argument that the price that used goods are sold at in a retail setting has value added.
A wholesale value has to be established for the deduction.
The problem is that the value is subjective.
Auditors go over these deductions with a fine tooth comb because they are commonly abused.
This is likely why the salvage yard would not assess a value.
So, to be safe if you take a five dollar deduction for a twenty five dollar door you would likely be ok.
I donate quite a bit of stuff and time to charity but just take a "feel good" deduction.
