Goodwill is treated as a qualified charitable organization under IRS code 501(c)(3) , so for tax purposes it counts as a regular public charity, not a private foundation or some special “different” category.

What “type of charity” Goodwill is for taxes

  • Goodwill is an IRS‑approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
  • For individual taxpayers, that means it’s a qualified charitable organization for claiming charitable contribution deductions (cash and non‑cash items like clothes, furniture, etc.).
  • Donations to Goodwill are generally deductible if:
    • You donate to an official Goodwill organization (not just to an individual via Goodwill’s parking lot).
    • You itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction.
* You keep a receipt and can support the **fair market value** of donated items.

In short: for tax forms and software, you can usually list Goodwill under “charitable contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations” or “charitable donations – qualified organizations.”

Quick practical notes

  • Non‑cash donations (clothes, household items, etc.) are deducted at fair market value , which is what a willing buyer would reasonably pay for them.
  • If your total non‑cash charitable contributions go over certain thresholds:
    • Over 500 USD total: you may need to complete Form 8283 for non‑cash contributions.
* Over 5,000 USD for similar items: additional appraisal and acknowledgment rules can apply.

Always confirm details in the latest IRS Publication 526 (Charitable Contributions) or with a tax professional, since tax rules and thresholds can change.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.