In Nebraska, your year-end car donation only counts for this tax year if the vehicle is physically picked up on or before December 31. The IRS uses the pickup date as your official donation date – not the day you call, schedule online, or sign the title. To protect your deduction, Great Plains Autos and Heritage for the Blind recommend scheduling your pickup at least 3–5 business days before December 31, especially in snowy weather. Our dispatch runs Monday through Saturday throughout the holiday season, and pickup is always 100% free, even if your car doesn’t run.
Whether you’re in Omaha (Dundee, Benson, Millard), Lincoln (Haymarket, Belmont, SouthPointe), Grand Island, Kearney, Bellevue, Papillion, or out near Scottsbluff or North Platte, we’ll work to get you on the calendar before year-end. You’ll receive a written acknowledgment for your records, and for vehicles valued over $500, Heritage for the Blind will send IRS Form 1098‑C after your vehicle sells. But your deduction year is locked in by the pickup date. Use our quick 2‑minute online form or call now so we can secure a pickup time before slots fill up in the final days of December.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Great Plains Autos
2 minutesShare your Nebraska location (Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, etc.), vehicle details, and best contact info. It truly takes about two minutes. The sooner you reach out, the easier it is to secure a pre–December 31 pickup window before year-end fills up.
Choose your pickup day before December 31
5-10 minutesOur team coordinates with Heritage for the Blind’s towing partners, who operate Monday–Saturday across Nebraska. We’ll offer the earliest available slot and clearly confirm if your pickup will occur on or before December 31 to qualify for this tax year.
Prepare the title and remove personal items
10-15 minutesBefore the truck arrives, locate your title, clear out the glove box, and remove plates if required by Nebraska rules. No emissions test, safety inspection, or repairs are needed. Non-running and damaged vehicles in Nebraska are absolutely okay for free pickup.
Complete pickup and lock in your tax year
15-30 minutesWhen the tow truck arrives on or before December 31, you’ll sign the necessary paperwork and hand over the keys and title. That pickup date is the official IRS donation date that determines which tax year you can claim your deduction.
Receive your acknowledgment and later Form 1098-C (if applicable)
VariesHeritage for the Blind will mail you a written acknowledgment, and if your vehicle sells for more than $500, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098‑C after the sale. Even if that form arrives next year, your deduction applies to the year the vehicle was picked up.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Pickup date = deduction year
For the IRS, your donation date is when the vehicle is actually picked up or delivered, not when you call. If your car is towed on or before December 31 in Nebraska, you can claim the deduction for that tax year.
Form 1098-C for vehicles over $500
If Heritage for the Blind sells your donated vehicle for more than $500, they’ll send you IRS Form 1098‑C. This form shows the gross sale price, which generally sets the maximum charitable deduction you can claim on your return.
You must itemize using Schedule A
To claim a tax deduction for your Nebraska car donation, you need to itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. If you do not itemize, you won’t be able to use the charitable vehicle deduction.
Acknowledgment usually within 30 days of sale
The charity’s written acknowledgment and Form 1098‑C (when required) are mailed after the vehicle is sold, often within about 30 days of the sale. Even if that’s in the new year, your deduction year is still based on the pickup date.
Non-running cars still qualify
Your vehicle doesn’t need to pass inspection or even start. Heritage for the Blind, through Great Plains Autos, accepts non-running, damaged, and high-mileage vehicles statewide, and you may still qualify for a charitable deduction if you itemize.