Tax/Receipt Question

[TeeSee]

How do you document purchases from CL or garage sales for tax deduction purposes?

[kendallina]

I've read that it's okay to just write up your own receipt on a piece of paper. Write down exactly what a normal receipt would have, date, location (CL, garage sale), items purchased, price, etc. That's what I'll be doing and that's what we used to do when I was doing center-based care.
Katy

[JenNJ]

I ask the person for a reciept. I bought a reciept book at Target for $1.

[DCMom]

I ask the seller to sign a receipt, then I take a photo of the purchase and toss it into the file.

[emosks]

My accountant said that if we forget to get a receipt from the seller then to print the ad with the price on it. Usually we print the ad and then have them sign it.

Garage sales we just make a list of things we've bought with purchase price.

[GretasLittleFriends]

For craigslist items we print out the ad, and usually there is a pic attached. If audited, it's easy to show them the ad with the item nearby.

For garage sales, I just write on a piece of paper what I bought and how much each item was. If it is a more expensive item I may ask for a receipt.

[Chickenhauler]

For craigslist items we print out the ad, and usually there is a pic attached. If audited, it's easy to show them the ad with the item nearby.

Add to that, I usually write the address and phone number (if it's not in the ad) along with the directions to the sellers location on the bottom half of the printed ad when I go look at something.

Really hard for the IRS to dispute that one (especially with the pic, price and address of seller).