If your car is picked up on or before December 31 in Montana, the IRS treats that pickup date as your donation date for this tax year. With Big Sky Rides, you can start in about two minutes: complete a simple online form or call, get a call-back from our Heritage for the Blind donation coordinator, and schedule your free tow—often same-day or next business day in major Montana areas. As long as the tow truck arrives and the title is signed over by December 31, you’re in before the year-end tax deadline.
We know Montanans are busy closing out the year—whether you’re in Billings Heights, the Rattlesnake neighborhood of Missoula, the South Side of Bozeman, on the West End in Billings, or out near Kalispell, Great Falls, Helena, Butte, or the Flathead Valley. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass inspection, or have current registration. Big Sky Rides partners with Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3), to handle everything: free licensed towing, sale of the vehicle, and mailing your IRS-compliant acknowledgment. You get a clean tax paper trail and more space in your driveway, while supporting programs for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2‑minute form or call Big Sky Rides
2 minutesRight now, enter your contact, vehicle, and title details in our secure online form or call Big Sky Rides in Montana. It truly takes about two minutes. This gets your donation into the Heritage for the Blind dispatch system and starts the clock toward your December 31 pickup.
Get a quick scheduling call from a coordinator
Within 1–2 business hoursOn weekdays, a Heritage for the Blind vehicle donation coordinator calls you back within 1–2 hours to confirm your information and offer pickup windows. In Montana metro areas like Billings, Missoula, and Bozeman, we can usually offer same-day or next-business-day tow slots in December.
Lock in a pickup slot on or before Dec 31
Same day scheduling in most casesYou choose a convenient date and time. To secure this year’s tax deduction, select any available slot on or before December 31. Once your free tow is scheduled, your spot is reserved—December fills quickly in Montana, so acting now helps you get the date you want.
Meet the tow truck and sign your Montana title
15–20 minutes at pickupA licensed tow provider arrives at your Montana address—home, work, or a shop—Monday through Saturday in most areas. You hand over the keys (if available) and sign your Montana title to Heritage for the Blind’s designated agent. The vehicle’s physical pickup date is the IRS donation date.
Vehicle is sold and you receive your tax paperwork
Within 30 days of saleHeritage for the Blind transports and sells your vehicle. After the sale, they mail you IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment within 30 days. You use this with your tax preparer to claim your charitable car donation on Schedule A for this tax year.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Dec 31 pickup = this year’s deduction
For IRS purposes, the donation date is when Heritage for the Blind takes possession of your car, not when it’s sold. If your vehicle is towed on or before December 31, you may claim the deduction for this tax year.
Form 1098‑C for larger vehicle deductions
When Heritage for the Blind sells your car, they send IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment within 30 days of the sale. This document shows the gross sale price, which generally sets your maximum deductible amount.
Deduction amount is usually the sale price
In most cases, the IRS limits your car donation deduction to the charity’s actual sale price. You report that amount from Form 1098‑C on Schedule A if you itemize deductions on your federal tax return.
You must itemize on Schedule A
To benefit from a car donation tax deduction, you need to itemize deductions on IRS Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. Check with your tax advisor to confirm what’s best for your specific situation.
30‑day written acknowledgment requirement
The IRS requires that you receive a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for vehicle donations. Heritage for the Blind mails this within 30 days of the sale, giving you the documentation you need for your records and return.