---
title: Donating Older Equipment vs. Trying to Sell
description: The benefits of a tax deduction and supporting your community might outweigh the uncertain and time-consuming process of selling equipment on your own.
image: https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Blog-Images/appraisal-donating-used-equipment-vs-selling.jpg
---
[](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com)
# Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals
## [Donating Older Equipment vs. Trying to Sell](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/donating-older-equipment-vs.-trying-to-sell)
Posted by [Equipment Appraisal Services](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services) on Mon, Jan 08, 2024 @ 07:30 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
We see many instances where business owners and individuals no longer need to operate used machinery or have recently acquired older equipment and personal property as part of a larger purchase or estate settlement. In any of these cases, the assets are no longer useful, and there becomes a need to decide the best option for transferring ownership.
The first thought is usually determining the ability to sell or liquidate the assets; however, this process may be difficult, especially if demand is limited or the owner is unfamiliar with the potential resale markets. As an alternative, donating the property to a local business, university, training school, or non-profit organization might be a better choice. The benefits of a tax deduction and supporting your community or alma mater might outweigh the uncertainty and time-consuming process of trying to sell the items on your own.
Before you decide which options are best, it is a good idea to consult with your accountant as well as an accredited professional appraiser, especially if you know the total value of the donation will be significant. The IRS rule is that an independent appraisal is required as part of any deduction claim in excess of $5,000. You must also include Form 8283 as part of your income tax filing. The form needs to be signed by you, the appraiser, and the party you are donating to.
The cost of the appraisal can sometimes become a challenge in comparison to the tax benefit. For example, suppose you have dozens of small items that are being donated together, and all need to be appraised. In that case, the total value might not support the cost given the valuation process will be time-consuming. You need to broadly calculate your expected tax deduction by approximating the total value of your donation and multiplying it by your estimated adjusted income tax percentage.
As an example, a $50,000 donation would result in a $10,000 deduction for someone in the 20% tax bracket. If the appraisal costs $5,000, you will end up with a $5,000 overall benefit for the donation. A lower overall value for your donation will create a more price-sensitive situation regarding the appraisal cost, and vice versa.
It is important to review and discuss these scenarios with your accountant and the appraiser to try and create an affordable option that makes sense for you. Grouping together some of the less expensive items for the purpose of valuing them might be one viable way to save on the time and cost of completing the appraisal. The focus can then be placed on the higher-valued property for the purpose of detailing and itemizing the report.
Tags: [donation appraisal](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/donation-appraisal), [selling equipment](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/selling-equipment), [used equipment](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/used-equipment), [equipment donations](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/equipment-donations), [used machinery](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/used-machinery)
### Subscribe by Email
### Most Popular Posts
### Posts by Month
- [July 2026 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/07)
- [June 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/06)
- [May 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/05)
- [April 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/04)
- [March 2026 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/03)
- [February 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/02)
- [January 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/01)
- [December 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/12)
- [November 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/11)
- [October 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/10)
- [September 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/09)
- [August 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/08)
- [July 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/07)
- [June 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/06)
- [May 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/05)
- [April 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/04)
- [March 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/03)
- [February 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/02)
- [January 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/01)
- [December 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/12)
- [November 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/11)
- [October 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/10)
- [September 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/09)
- [August 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/08)
- [July 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/07)
- [June 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/06)
- [May 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/05)
- [April 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/04)
- [March 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/03)
- [February 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/02)
- [January 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/01)
- [December 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/12)
- [November 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/11)
- [October 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/10)
- [September 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/09)
- [August 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/08)
- [July 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/07)
- [June 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/06)
- [May 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/05)
- [April 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/04)
- [March 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/03)
- [February 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/02)
- [January 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/01)
- [December 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/12)
- [November 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/11)
- [October 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/10)
- [September 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/09)
- [August 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/08)
- [July 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/07)
- [June 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/06)
- [May 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/05)
- [April 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/04)
- [March 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/12)
- [November 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/11)
- [October 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/05)
- [April 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/04)
- [March 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/01)
- [December 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/12)
- [November 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/09)
- [July 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/12)
- [October 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/01)
[See more](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/donating-older-equipment-vs.-trying-to-sell#)
© 2026 Equipment Appraisal Services
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services"
},
"dateModified" : "2024-01-08T12:30:00.357Z",
"datePublished" : "2024-01-08T12:30:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Donating Older Equipment vs. Trying to Sell",
"image" : [ "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Blog-Images/appraisal-donating-used-equipment-vs-selling.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/donating-older-equipment-vs.-trying-to-sell",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Images%202020/equipment_appraisal_services_header_logo.svg"
},
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services"
}
}
```