If you donate your car in Nebraska by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, you lock in a potential 2024 tax deduction. For most donors, your deduction equals the gross sale price of your vehicle after it’s sold at auction, not the Kelley Blue Book value. When the sale price is over $500, Heritage for the Blind (a 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446) mails you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and may generally deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower. To use the deduction, you must itemize on Schedule A of your federal return and keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date. Always confirm details with your tax professional.
Great Plains Autos makes Nebraska year-end car donation fast and local. We arrange free towing anywhere from Omaha, Bellevue, and Papillion to Lincoln, Grand Island, North Platte, Kearney, Scottsbluff, and smaller towns across the Sandhills and Panhandle. Non-running and older cars are welcome—no inspection or repairs needed. You start with a quick 2-minute form or call, we schedule pickup (often within a few days, Monday–Saturday), and Heritage for the Blind sends the IRS-required paperwork after sale. Donate before December 31, then hand everything to your tax preparer and you’re done.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute donation form or call
2 minutesProvide your Nebraska location (Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, etc.), basic vehicle details, and how to reach you. This locks in your intent to donate before the December 31 IRS cutoff and starts the process toward your potential 2024 deduction.
Confirm pickup and keep your donation date
5 minutesOur team calls to schedule free towing, usually Monday–Saturday. Choose a time that works for you, even if the car doesn’t run. The pickup confirmation shows your donation date—critical for proving your deduction falls in the current tax year.
Hand over keys, title, and get pickup confirmation
10–15 minutesThe tow driver meets you at home, work, or a shop anywhere in Nebraska. You sign the title, remove plates if required, and receive a pickup confirmation. Save this as proof of when you donated to Heritage for the Blind via Great Plains Autos.
Vehicle sells and your IRS paperwork is mailed
Within 30 days of saleAfter sale at auction, Heritage for the Blind mails IRS Form 1098-C for vehicles that sell over $500. For $500-or-less vehicles, you receive a written acknowledgment. Both documents show the sale amount or limits for your potential deduction.
Itemize on Schedule A and claim your deduction
At tax-filing timeGive Form 1098-C or the written acknowledgment, plus your pickup confirmation, to your tax professional. If you itemize on Schedule A, you may claim a charitable deduction, generally equal to the gross sale price or allowed amount. Always confirm specifics with your preparer.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction usually equals sale price
For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS generally lets you deduct the actual gross sale proceeds, not Kelley Blue Book or what you think it’s worth. Your Form 1098-C will show that sale price for your records.
How $500-or-less donations work
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you get a written acknowledgment instead of Form 1098-C. In many cases, you may deduct up to $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is lower. Your tax advisor can help you determine the proper amount.
Form 1098-C and 30-day rule
When the vehicle’s sale price exceeds $500, Heritage for the Blind must mail IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days after the sale. That form documents the gross proceeds and is what you or your preparer will use to substantiate the deduction on your return.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donations are charitable contributions. To benefit, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal tax return instead of taking the standard deduction. Your tax professional can compare which approach saves you more overall tax.
Donate by Dec 31 for this year
Your deduction applies to the tax year in which you donate, not when the car sells. As long as you complete the donation and pickup is confirmed by December 31 in Nebraska, your potential deduction applies to that tax year’s return.