Importing TXF files into TurboTax Desktop (Mac or Windows)

Summary: This guide walks you through importing a Charity Record TXF file into Intuit TurboTax Desktop. Screenshots are for Mac, though the steps should be similar for Windows. Cash and mileage donations generally import cleanly. Item donations may require you to select a donation type and answer a few follow-up questions. We'll show you what to enter.

For a general overview of TXF (including how to export it) and what to expect, see TXF export: what to expect.

Why is this so involved? TXF is a 1990s file format that only stores basic information (charity name, date, and amount). It doesn't carry charity addresses, item descriptions, acquisition details, or valuation methods – so TurboTax asks you to fill in those details after import. Cash and mileage donations import cleanly, but item (and other) donations need a few extra steps.

Prerequisites: Before you start

Make sure you have:

TurboTax Desktop for Mac or Windows
Your TXF file downloaded from Charity Record
A tax return open in TurboTax

Step 1: Import your TXF file

In TurboTax, with a return open:
For Mac: go to File → Import → From TXF Files
For Windows: go to File → Import → From Accounting Software
Select your Charity Record TXF file
TurboTax shows a preview of what will be imported:

Preview your donations before importing

Uncheck any items you don't want to import (usually, you'll keep everything checked)
Click Continue or Import, depending on your version

Step 2: Review the import summary

After importing, TurboTax shows a summary of what was imported:

TurboTax confirms what was imported from your TXF file

Click Done to continue.

Step 3: Review your charities and donations

Navigate to your charitable donations section. TurboTax may show NEEDS REVIEW badges on some donations:

Item donations show NEEDS REVIEW until you complete the details

Cash donations (include cash donations and mileage donations from Charity Record). These ultimately go to your Schedule A.
Item donations need you to specify the type and may ask follow-up questions. These may trigger Form 8283 when your total non-cash donations exceed $500.

Click the edit icon on any donation marked NEEDS REVIEW to complete it.

Step 4: Complete item donation details

Selecting the donation type

For item donations, TurboTax asks you to select the type of donation:

Select the type that matches your donation

For most Charity Record item donations (clothing, furniture, electronics, etc.), select Household items and clothing.

If you imported stock, vehicles, digital assets, or art from Charity Record, select the matching type here. If you are in this category, the TXF Export Guide you get when you export your TXF will let you know.

Entering the description and valuation method

TurboTax asks how you determined the value:

Enter a description and how you determined the value

Donation description: Enter a brief description like "Household items/clothing"
Valuation method: If you used Charity Record's FMV Guide, select Comparative sales or Thrift shop value. Otherwise, select the method which matches how you valued the items.

Step 5: Answer questions for donations over $500

For donations over $500, TurboTax asks additional questions required for Form 8283.

How did you get this item?

For donations over $500, TurboTax asks for Form 8283 details

Select how you originally acquired the donated items:

Purchase – You bought the items (most common)
Gift – Someone gave you the items
Inheritance – You inherited the items
Exchange – You received the items in a trade
Created – You made the items yourself

Purchase price (cost basis)

TurboTax asks for the purchase price – what you originally paid for the items. This is your cost basis, which the IRS requires for Form 8283.

If you don't remember the exact amount: You probably don't remember the exact amount you paid for your items – this is common. Enter your best good-faith estimate. For household items and clothing, a reasonable estimate based on what similar items cost when new is generally acceptable. And according to IRS Form 8283 instructions, if you have reasonable cause for not providing exact information, you can attach an explanation.

What counts as a reasonable estimate?

For clothing: Think about what you typically pay for similar items new
For furniture: Recall what the piece cost when purchased
For electronics: Consider the original retail price

If you need a number to move forward, use the original retail price you likely paid when new (or the current retail price of a comparable item if that’s easier to look up). Example: if a similar coat sells new for about $120, you would use $120.

Last‑resort estimate (if you only know the FMV)

If you don’t have a reasonable sense of the original purchase price, some charities publish rough thrift‑value heuristics you can reference. For example, Goodwill Northern New England suggests using about 30% of original price when an item isn’t listed in their guide. If you choose to rely on that rule of thumb, it implies a rough original price of FMV ÷ 0.30 (about 3.3×).

Example: if an item’s FMV is $100, a price estimate could be about $330.

Important: This is a charity guideline, not IRS guidance. Use it if you can't use another method, and only if you’re comfortable that it’s reasonable for your situation.

The deduction itself is based on fair market value at donation (what you entered in Charity Record), but Form 8283 still asks for the original purchase price to help show how you arrived at that FMV. For more on the difference between FMV and cost basis, see Understanding Fair Market Value (FMV).

If you acquired items over multiple dates, select Yes for "Did you get this item over multiple dates?":

Enter purchase price and ownership details

Did you own this item for more than a year?

Select Yes if you owned the items for more than 12 months before donating. This is usually the case for household items and clothing.

Step 6: Uncommon situations

TurboTax asks about uncommon donation situations:

Most donations don't involve these special situations

For most donations, select None of these and click Continue.

Step 7: Fraternal societies and special organizations

After completing donations, TurboTax asks whether any of your charities are fraternal societies, veterans' organizations, nonprofit cemeteries, or private foundations:

Select "None of these" for typical charities like Goodwill or Salvation Army

For most donations to typical charities (Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, etc.), select None of these and click Continue.

Step 8: Enter the charity's address (if prompted)

TurboTax may ask for the charity's address. You can find this in Charity Record:

Go to Organizations in Charity Record, from the Dashboard. Click View to see the list of organizations.
Click on the charity
Copy the address to your TurboTax address entry field.

Copy the charity's address from Charity Record to TurboTax

If you don't have the address in Charity Record, you can usually find it on the charity's website or on the receipt they gave you.

Step 9: Verify all donations are complete

Once you've answered all the interview questions, return to the "Your charities and donations" screen. All donations should now show without NEEDS REVIEW badges:

All donations complete – no more NEEDS REVIEW badges

Click Done to finish.

What imports cleanly vs. what needs review

Donation Type	Import Status
Cash	Imports cleanly – just verify the amount
Mileage	Imports cleanly – just verify the amount, and optionally change 'Cash' to 'Mileage'
Items under $500	May need type selection
Items over $500	Needs type, purchase price, and acquisition info
Stock	Needs additional details (see your TXF Import Guide)
Vehicles	Needs additional details (see your TXF Import Guide)
Digital assets	Needs additional details (see your TXF Import Guide)
Art	Needs additional details (see your TXF Import Guide)

For stock, vehicles, digital assets, and art, Charity Record generates a TXF Import Guide with the exact values to enter. Download it from the TXF export page.

Troubleshooting

"I imported the wrong file"

Go to File → Remove Imported Data, select the TXF import, and try again.

"TurboTax doesn't recognize my TXF file"

Make sure you're using TurboTax Desktop (not TurboTax Online). The file from Charity Record should have a .txf extension.

"My totals don't match"

TurboTax may combine donations to the same charity on the same date. Check that your overall totals match what Charity Record shows. If you have larger non-cash donations, Charity Record may split them into multiple line items for review – your TXF Export Guide will tell you what to expect.

"I don't see the Import option"

Go to File → Import → From TXF Files on Mac, or File → Import → From Accounting Software on Windows. If you don't see this option, you may be using TurboTax Online or a version that doesn't support TXF import.

Appendix: Using Forms Mode

If you prefer working directly with tax forms instead of the interview-style EasyStep mode, TurboTax also lets you enter charitable donations in Forms Mode.

In Forms Mode, your imported donations appear in the Charitable Organization Worksheet and Charitable Contribution Detail Worksheet:

Charitable Organization Worksheet in Forms Mode

Charitable Contribution Detail Worksheet in Forms Mode

These worksheets contain the same fields as the interview questions – organization details, donation amounts, acquisition info, and valuation method. Forms Mode can be useful for reviewing or editing specific fields without stepping through the full interview.

Charity Record is a donation tracking tool, not a tax advisor. This article summarizes publicly available IRS guidance and TurboTax workflows to help you use our software. You are responsible for ensuring your tax filings comply with IRS requirements. For complex situations (large non-cash donations, appraisals, or valuation questions), consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.

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