Live in Wisconsin and ready to donate your car before year‑end? With Badger Auto Aid, your donation date is the actual pickup date under IRS rules. That means if our licensed tow truck picks up your vehicle any time on or before December 31, your donation counts for this tax year—even if the car is sold and your IRS Form 1098‑C is mailed weeks later. You start with a quick 2‑minute online form or call, we schedule free towing around your schedule, and you receive your written acknowledgment after the sale.
Badger Auto Aid partners with Heritage for the Blind, a Wisconsin‑friendly 501(c)(3) helping people who are blind or visually impaired. We serve donors across the state—from Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and Oak Creek to Madison, Sun Prairie, and Fitchburg; from Green Bay and De Pere to Eau Claire, La Crosse, Kenosha, Racine, Appleton, and the North Shore suburbs. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass inspection, or have current registration. Once you hand over the keys and signed title at pickup, your donation is locked in. December pickup slots fill up fast in Wisconsin, so start now to secure your preferred date and your tax deduction.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2‑minute form or call Badger Auto Aid
2 minutesTell us where the vehicle is in Wisconsin (home, shop, or storage), basic car details, and how to reach you. Prefer the phone? Call Badger Auto Aid and we’ll complete everything for you in just a few minutes.
Coordinator calls back to lock in your tow time
Within 1–2 hours on weekdaysA Heritage for the Blind donation coordinator calls you back—usually within 1–2 hours during business hours—to confirm your information and schedule your free pickup. We’ll aim for same‑day or next‑day in most Wisconsin metro areas.
Free licensed tow truck arrives for pickup
Same day or next business day in most metrosOur licensed towing partner comes to your address in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, or most other Wisconsin cities. The tow is always free, even if the car doesn’t run, has a dead battery, or failed emissions.
Sign your Wisconsin title and hand over the keys
5–10 minutes at pickupYou sign the Wisconsin title over to Heritage for the Blind at the tow truck. Once the vehicle is hooked up and the title is signed, that pickup date is your IRS donation date—even if it’s December 31.
Vehicle sale and tax receipt mailed to you
Within 30 days of saleYour car is transported, processed, and sold. After the sale, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment, typically within 30 days of the sale, for your itemized deduction records.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Your donation date is the pickup date
For IRS purposes, the donation happens when Heritage for the Blind takes possession of your vehicle—when the tow truck picks it up and you sign over the title. A pickup on or before Dec 31 counts for this tax year.
Form 1098‑C documents your deduction
After your car is sold, Heritage for the Blind sends IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment. This shows the vehicle details and sale information, which you’ll use when you file your federal return.
Deduction is generally based on sale price
In most cases, the IRS lets you deduct the gross proceeds Heritage for the Blind receives from selling your vehicle. There are limited exceptions; talk with your tax advisor about your specific situation.
You must itemize to claim the deduction
To benefit from your car donation, you generally need to itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal return. If you take the standard deduction, you typically can’t claim an additional vehicle donation write‑off.
Receipt usually mailed within 30 days of sale
The IRS requires that the charity send a written acknowledgment within 30 days of selling the vehicle. That receipt can arrive in January or later and still support a deduction for the prior year as long as pickup was by Dec 31.