About Charitable Clothing Donations

A charitable clothing donation is a great way to help those less fortunate and to help nonprofit organizations continue their good works and programs. Charitable organizations use donated clothing in various ways. It may be sold, with proceeds benefiting the organization and its programs. Other organizations give the clothes directly to low-income or homeless clients. Whatever its final end, your donation will go to help a community in need.

Donation Standards

There is a general standard when donating clothing. Donations should be clean and undamaged. Clothes with stains or tears are often turned away. Empty your pockets before donating clothes, to make sure you have all your valuables and personal items. Contact the charity beforehand to find out if there is a specific way to package the donation, whether in a box, in a bag or on hangers.

Finding a Charity

The United Way is a good resource to use for finding which charities take clothing donations. You may also find out if a specific charity gives donations directly to clients or sells the clothes for profit.

Donation Use

Ask the charity how your donation will be used before making your donation, if you have a preference. The Salvation Army sells donations to support its cause, so some people will not donate to the Salvation Army.

Tax Benefit

You can use charitable donations as a tax deduction at the end of the year, if you itemize taxes. This makes it a win-win situation when you donate to a charity.

Value

You may deduct the fair market value for the items you are donating. According to Internal Revenue Service representatives, when placing a value on your clothing donations, a good rule of thumb is to value them at 25 percent of their original price. The IRS regulations for placing value on your donated items are available in the References.