If you donate your car in the Kansas City Metro on or before December 31, you can generally claim a charitable deduction on this year’s tax return—as long as you itemize on Schedule A. For vehicles that eventually sell for more than $500, your deduction equals the actual gross sale price (not Kelley Blue Book). After the vehicle sells, Wheels for Good (benefiting Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3)) mails you IRS Form 1098-C. If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and you may deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower. Be sure to keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date.
Wheels for Good makes year-end donating easy across the Kansas City area—from Brookside, Waldo, and the Country Club Plaza to Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Independence, Olathe, Shawnee, and North KC. We offer free towing on most vehicles, running or not, with no inspection or repairs required. Our 2-minute online form or quick phone call locks in your December 31 donation date, and our team handles the title transfer and tax paperwork. You get a clean driveway, a potential tax deduction, and you support services for people who are blind or visually impaired—all without leaving your home in the Kansas City Metro.
Your year-end donation timeline
1. Start your donation (about 2 minutes)
2 minutesComplete our fast online form or call our Kansas City team with your vehicle and contact details. Once you submit, your intent to donate is set in motion for this year, and we immediately begin arranging your free pickup anywhere in the Kansas City Metro.
2. Schedule free towing before or after Dec 31
5 minutesPick a convenient pickup window—morning, afternoon, or evening—Monday through Saturday in most Kansas City areas. As long as you initiate the donation by December 31, your deduction is for this tax year, even if the tow happens a bit later.
3. Sign title and keep your pickup confirmation
10–15 minutesWhen the tow truck arrives at your home in Overland Park, Midtown, Independence, or anywhere in the metro, you’ll sign the title and hand over the keys. Keep the pickup confirmation or tow receipt as proof of your donation date for your records.
4. We sell your vehicle and handle the IRS form
No time for youWheels for Good arranges the sale. If your vehicle sells for more than $500, we mail IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. If it sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment you can use for your tax return.
5. Claim your deduction on Schedule A
At tax timeAt tax time, give your 1098-C or acknowledgment to your tax professional or keep it with your records if you file yourself. You’ll generally claim the charitable deduction on Schedule A when you itemize. Always consult a tax professional for specific advice.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals sale price, not book value
For most donated vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS requires you to use the gross sale price as your deduction amount—not Kelley Blue Book or your estimate. Wheels for Good reports this on Form 1098-C.
How IRS Form 1098-C works
After your car, truck, SUV, or van sells, Wheels for Good (benefiting Heritage for the Blind) mails IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. This form shows the sale price and is your official proof for deductions above $500.
Vehicles at or under $500
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment instead of 1098-C. In many cases you may deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower. Keep this document with your tax records.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donation deductions are charitable contributions. To claim them, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal return. If you take the standard deduction, you generally cannot claim an additional car donation deduction.
Why Dec 31 matters for this year’s taxes
The key date is when you donate, not when the vehicle sells. Initiate your donation and transfer the vehicle on or before December 31 in the Kansas City Metro to generally claim the deduction on this year’s tax return.