Donate your car in Chicago before midnight December 31 and you can generally deduct it on your 2024 taxes. With Gear Up Giving, your deduction equals the actual sale price of your vehicle once it’s sold, not the Kelley Blue Book value. For vehicles that sell for more than $500, we mail you IRS Form 1098‑C within 30 days of the sale. For vehicles at $500 or below, we send a written acknowledgment you can use to deduct up to $500 or fair market value, whichever is lower. To claim your deduction, you’ll need to itemize on Schedule A of your federal return and keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date. Always consult a tax professional about your specific situation.
Gear Up Giving partners with Heritage for the Blind (a 501(c)(3), EIN 58‑2164446) to turn your vehicle into vision-support services. We pick up across Chicagoland—whether you’re in Rogers Park, Bronzeville, Logan Square, Hyde Park, Oak Park, Evanston, Skokie, Cicero, Naperville, Schaumburg, or down in South Shore. Towing is free, your car doesn’t need to run, and there’s no inspection or repairs required. Our Monday–Saturday dispatch makes it easy to lock in your year‑end deduction fast. Take two minutes now to schedule pickup, beat the December 31 IRS cutoff, and put your old car to work helping people who are blind or visually impaired.
Your year-end donation timeline
Step 1 – Start the 2‑minute Chicago donation form
2 minutesEnter your contact info, basic vehicle details, and your Chicago or suburban pickup location—whether that’s a condo garage in Streeterville or a driveway in Oak Lawn. Submitting the form or calling locks in the process so you can schedule pickup before December 31.
Step 2 – Lock in your pickup date before Dec 31
5 minutesA Gear Up Giving coordinator calls to confirm your vehicle and schedule free towing anywhere in Chicagoland, Monday–Saturday. Non‑running cars are fine. Your pickup confirmation is key proof of your donation date for the IRS, so keep it with your tax records.
Step 3 – Hand over keys and title at pickup
15 minutesThe tow driver meets you at your home, workplace, or lot—from Wicker Park alleys to suburban office parks in Lisle. You sign the title, remove personal items, and get a pickup confirmation. That date controls which tax year you can claim the deduction for.
Step 4 – Vehicle sells and your deduction amount is set
Varies by saleWe sell your vehicle to support Heritage for the Blind. For vehicles over $500, your deduction equals the actual gross sale price, not book value. Once it sells, we generate your IRS‑compliant paperwork showing the sale date and amount.
Step 5 – Receive IRS Form 1098‑C or written acknowledgment
Within 30 days of saleIf your vehicle sells for more than $500, Gear Up Giving mails you IRS Form 1098‑C within 30 days of the sale. If it’s $500 or under, you receive a written acknowledgment so you may deduct up to $500 or fair market value, whichever is lower.
Step 6 – Claim your deduction on Schedule A
At tax timeGive your 1098‑C or acknowledgment, plus pickup confirmation, to your tax professional or use them to complete Schedule A if you itemize. They’ll help you correctly report the donation and deduction for your federal return for the year you donated.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals sale price over $500
For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS generally limits your deduction to the gross sale price. It’s not based on Kelley Blue Book. Your Form 1098‑C from Gear Up Giving shows the exact sale amount you can use.
Form 1098‑C for vehicles above $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, Gear Up Giving mails IRS Form 1098‑C within 30 days after the sale. This form is your official tax document showing the charity, vehicle, sale date, and gross proceeds for your deduction.
$500 or under uses a written acknowledgment
When your vehicle’s sale amount is $500 or less, you won’t receive Form 1098‑C. Instead, we send a written acknowledgment. You may generally deduct the lesser of $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, subject to IRS rules.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donations are claimed as charitable contributions. To benefit from the deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal tax return. If you take the standard deduction, you typically can’t add a separate car donation deduction.
Dec 31 donation date controls the tax year
Your deduction applies to the year you donate, not when the car sells. As long as your vehicle is picked up and donated by December 31 in Chicagoland, the contribution counts for that tax year. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof.