Where can you donate an old cell phone for a tax deduction?

You might be able to donate to Salvation Army, Purple Heart, or some similar charity organization, but check with their rules first. Usually, they will give you a receipt, but it is up to you to determine the value you place on the phone. You can only deduct current value, not the price you paid for it originally. We leave our old cell phones at a drop box in our local Staples store. We assume the old phones (low end models) aren't worth enough to bother worrying about a tax deduction. You could ask one of the clerks if they can give you a receipt though. The key thing is to get a receipt, no matter where you donate it.  more