Donate your car in Massachusetts by 11:59 pm on December 31, and you may claim a 2024 tax deduction on your next return. With Velocity Vehicle, your deduction is based on what the car actually sells for, not Kelley Blue Book. If it sells for over $500, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of sale so you can deduct the gross sale price when you itemize on Schedule A. If it sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and you may generally deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date, and always consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Velocity Vehicle makes it simple for Massachusetts donors from Boston, Worcester, and Springfield to Cambridge, Lowell, Brockton, Quincy, New Bedford, and the Cape. We arrange free towing for running or non-running vehicles across Greater Boston (Dorchester, Roxbury, Brighton, Somerville), the North Shore (Lynn, Salem, Peabody), the South Shore (Braintree, Weymouth, Plymouth), MetroWest (Framingham, Natick), and Western Mass (Amherst, Northampton, Holyoke). No inspection or repairs are needed. You donate in minutes, Heritage for the Blind handles the sale and paperwork, and you get the tax documentation you need for your federal return.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start your donation before December 31
2 minutesComplete our quick online form or call to start your Massachusetts car donation. As long as you submit your donation information by 11:59 pm on December 31, your gift is treated as a donation for this tax year, based on the pickup confirmation date.
Lock in your pickup and donation date
5 minutesOur team confirms your details and schedules free towing anywhere in Massachusetts—Boston, Worcester, Springfield, the Cape and Islands, and more. You’ll receive a pickup confirmation; keep this as proof of your year-end donation date for your tax records.
Free towing, no inspection or repairs
30-60 minutes (pickup day)A licensed tow partner picks up your vehicle Monday–Saturday in most areas, running or not. You hand over the signed title (if required) and keys. Velocity Vehicle and Heritage for the Blind handle the sale, so you never deal with buyers or paperwork hassles.
Vehicle sells and your tax documents are issued
Within 30 days of saleAfter your car sells, Heritage for the Blind determines the gross sale proceeds. For vehicles over $500, they mail IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. For $500 or less, they send a written acknowledgment with the details you’ll need for your taxes.
Claim your deduction when you file
At tax timeWhen you file your federal return, itemize on Schedule A to claim your deduction. Use Form 1098-C or the written acknowledgment as documentation. A tax professional can help you apply the deduction correctly for your Massachusetts and federal returns.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals actual sale price
For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS generally limits your deduction to the car’s gross sale proceeds—not Kelley Blue Book or what you originally paid. Heritage for the Blind reports this amount on IRS Form 1098-C for your records.
How IRS Form 1098-C works
If your donated vehicle sells for over $500, Heritage for the Blind mails IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. This form lists the sale price, donation date, and vehicle details, and you use it as proof to support your itemized deduction.
Special rule for $500 or less vehicles
If the vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment instead of Form 1098-C. You may generally deduct up to $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is lower, subject to IRS rules. Keep this letter with your tax records.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donations are charitable contributions. To benefit from the deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal Form 1040. If you take the standard deduction, you usually cannot claim an additional car-donation deduction.
Donate by Dec 31 for this year’s taxes
Your deduction is tied to your donation date, not the sale date. As long as you complete your donation by December 31 and have pickup confirmation showing the date, the deduction generally applies to this tax year, even if the car sells early next year.