- 1). Check the IRS database (see Resources) to make sure that the group you made your donation to qualifies for a tax deduction. If you contributed to a non-qualifying group, your tax deduction value equals $0 no matter how much you donated.
- 2). Calculate the value of any property that you donated to qualifying charities. For smaller items, you should estimate the fair market value based on the item's condition. Many charitable organizations, such as the Salvation Army (see Resources), publish a list of commonly donated items, giving a price range for each. If any of your items exceed $5,000, you must have them appraised to determine how much you can deduct.
- 3). Calculate the value of any tangible benefits you received from your donation, such as donor's dinners, clothing or other benefits. If you did not receive anything in return, your deduction's value equals the amount of the donation.
- 4). Subtract the value of anything you received in return from the value of your donation to find the value of your charitable deduction that you can claim on your tax return.
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