Donate your car in Michigan by December 31, and your gift can count as a charitable tax deduction for this year if you itemize on Schedule A. With Great Lakes Givers, the IRS rules are simple: when your vehicle sells for more than $500, your deduction is generally the gross sale price — not Kelley Blue Book — and you’ll receive IRS Form 1098-C from Heritage for the Blind within 30 days of the sale. If it sells for $500 or less, you may usually deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower, using our written acknowledgment. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof you donated by December 31.
We make it easy for Michigan donors. Whether you’re in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, Kalamazoo, Warren, Sterling Heights, Traverse City, or up in the U.P., we arrange free towing in most areas, Monday through Saturday. No inspection, no repairs, running or not. You spend about two minutes on our secure online form or phone call, we schedule your pickup, and Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446) does the rest. Your car helps support services for people who are blind or visually impaired, and you get clear, IRS-ready paperwork for your return.
Your year-end donation timeline
1. Lock in your donation date
2 minutesFill out the quick online form or call Great Lakes Givers and choose the earliest available pickup. As long as your car is accepted and scheduled as a donation by December 31, you’ve locked in this tax year—keep your pickup confirmation email or text.
2. Schedule free pickup anywhere in Michigan
5 minutesOur team arranges free towing across Michigan—from Detroit, Southfield, Livonia, and Dearborn to Grand Rapids, Holland, Novi, and Saginaw. We’ll confirm a pickup window (often within a few days), Monday–Saturday. You don’t need to wash, repair, or even start the car.
3. Sign the title and hand over the keys
10 minutesOn pickup day, the driver helps you complete the title where allowed and provides a pickup confirmation as proof of the donation date. Keep this with your records to show you donated by December 31 for this year’s tax return.
4. Vehicle sells and we issue your tax paperwork
Within 30 days of saleAfter your vehicle is sold, you’ll receive either IRS Form 1098-C (if it sells for more than $500) or a written acknowledgment (if it’s $500 or less). Heritage for the Blind mails this within 30 days of the sale so you have clear documentation.
5. Claim your deduction on Schedule A
At tax timeAt tax time, give your 1098-C or acknowledgment to your tax professional or use it to complete Schedule A if you itemize. Your deduction is based on the gross sale price (or up to $500/fair market value if $500 or less), following IRS rules.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Form 1098-C for cars sold over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind sends you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. This form shows the gross sale price, which is generally the maximum amount you can deduct.
Deduction equals actual sale price
For vehicles sold over $500, the IRS usually limits your deduction to the charity’s gross sale price, not Kelley Blue Book or your estimate. The final sales figure on your 1098-C is what you use when you claim your deduction.
$500 or less uses written acknowledgment
If the vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment instead of Form 1098-C. In most cases, you may deduct up to $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is lower, when you itemize on Schedule A.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donations are charitable contributions. To benefit, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. If you don’t itemize, you won’t receive an additional tax break from your vehicle donation.
Donate by Dec 31 for this year’s taxes
The key deadline is the donation date, not the sale date. As long as your vehicle is donated (picked up or transferred) by December 31, it generally counts for this tax year. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof of the donation date.