Donate your car in the Hartford Metro by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, and your gift can count toward your 2024 federal income tax deduction. With Drive Forward, your deduction is based on the car’s actual sale price, not Kelley Blue Book. If your vehicle sells for more than $500, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098-C after it sells; your allowed deduction is the gross sale proceeds shown on that form. If it’s $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and you may generally deduct the lower of $500 or fair market value, as long as you itemize on Schedule A.
Drive Forward makes Hartford giving simple and local. We arrange free pickup across the Hartford Metro—from West Hartford, East Hartford, Newington, and Wethersfield to Bloomfield, Manchester, Glastonbury, and beyond—usually within a few days, Monday through Saturday. Non-running vehicles are welcome, no inspection or repairs needed. You keep the pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date, and we mail your IRS-required paperwork within 30 days of sale. Your car supports Heritage for the Blind (a 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446), helping people who are blind or visually impaired, while you gain a clear, compliant path to a year-end tax deduction. Always consult your tax professional about your specific situation.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute donation form or call
2 minutesEnter your contact and vehicle details online or by phone. As long as you complete this before December 31 in the Hartford Metro, you’ve taken the key step toward a 2024 deduction. No title questions or condition worries needed to start—non-running vehicles are fine.
Confirm free Hartford Metro pickup
5 minutesOur team schedules a free tow in your Hartford-area neighborhood—whether you’re in West Hartford, Downtown, Blue Hills, or Manchester. Pickup is typically Monday–Saturday. You choose a convenient time; no emissions test or repairs are required for acceptance.
Sign and keep your pickup confirmation
5 minutesAt pickup, you sign the necessary transfer documents and hand over the keys (if available). The tow driver provides a pickup confirmation—keep this as proof of your donation date for your records, especially for year-end December 31 gifts.
We sell the vehicle and mail your tax paperwork
Varies (after sale)Drive Forward handles the sale. If the gross sale is over $500, we mail you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. If it’s $500 or less, we mail a written acknowledgment. Either way, you get the documentation you need for your tax return.
Claim your deduction when you file
15–30 minutes with your preparerWhen you file your federal return, you generally must itemize on Schedule A to claim your car donation. Use the 1098-C or acknowledgment amount as your deduction, and keep your pickup confirmation and Drive Forward letters with your tax records.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals sale price over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, the IRS generally limits your deduction to the car’s actual gross sale price—not Kelley Blue Book. That amount will appear on IRS Form 1098-C, which we mail to you after the vehicle sells.
How $500-or-less donations work
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment. In many cases, you may deduct up to the lower of $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value. This is subject to IRS rules, so discuss your specific situation with a tax professional.
IRS Form 1098-C from Drive Forward
For vehicles that generate more than $500 in gross proceeds, Drive Forward sends you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. This form shows the sale date and price, and is your primary IRS documentation for claiming the charitable contribution deduction.
You must itemize using Schedule A
To claim a car donation deduction, you generally need to itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal return. If you take the standard deduction, you usually cannot also claim a separate deduction for your donated vehicle. Ask your tax preparer which approach benefits you most.
Why December 31 is the hard cutoff
For federal taxes, the donation date controls the tax year of your deduction. If your vehicle is donated (picked up or otherwise transferred) by December 31 in the Hartford Metro, it typically counts for that tax year—even if the sale and 1098-C arrive early the next year.