Charity Car Donations

Helen Hecker asked:


If you’re thinking about a charity car donation I’m going to outline some of the facts you should know. You can receive a nice IRS tax deduction for your old car or used car and help someone in need in the process.

It’s called car donation or charity car donation when you give a charity organization your vehicle - automobile, car, truck, ATV, RV, airplane or any other vehicle which might or might not be in useable condition. In the U.S. charitable vehicle donations provide a great tax benefit for the donor and it’s rapidly gaining in popularity.

First you want to learn the mission of any charity you’re considering. If you have a specific charity in mind for the car donation do some research on it, especially if you’re not sure how reputable the charity is. There are many national and local charitable organizations that advertise in newspapers or on television and openly announce they are looking for car donations. You have probably seen some of these, but are they your best choice?

Sometimes charities will use the car donations themselves in their daily charitable activities - sometimes to transport people. Perhaps they may use it to transport people in need to doctor’s appointments, social worker appointments, hospital tests, etc. More often though the vehicles will be sold at auction or off their car lots to raise money for the charity’s programs or their general fund. Yes it is not common knowledge that many charities have their own car lots. Many Goodwill Industry stores have their own.

Many people do choose to donate their used and unwanted cars in order to help others. If you buy a new car or own a car that isn’t running, you can consider donating the car, truck, or other vehicle. You can also donate boats, RVs, ATVs, airplanes and other vehicles or even real estate depending on what your charity accepts. Your donation is tax deductible which helps you and the organization that you donated the vehicle to.

Day in and out, charities provide services and needed support to people in communities all over the nation. While some may receive government grants or private donations, this is never enough to take care of the many causes they pursue. Charity car donations are a planned part of the non-profit organization’s budget. These vehicle donations can make the difference in the kind of services they can offer. So if you donate vehicles you will help these organizations continue to function

In a nutshell, car donation means acquiring old cars from donors and donating them to charity organizations. There are car donation companies that are intermediaries or links between the donors and the people who benefited from these donations. They are a big help in funding for charities. Some companies even help organizations that do not have their own charity programs. The car donation companies can auction the donated car or other vehicle in the marketplace and the money is given to the charities or the car can be used by the charity organization or be sold on their used car lot.

When you give your car to charity you are given a charitable gift IRS Tax Receipt. The vehicle donations when made to a reputable and bona fide charitable organization are tax-deductible. The IRS allows the donor-taxpayer to claim a tax deduction on the estimated value of the vehicle up to $500. The donor of the car or vehicle must have title, so make sure you have it handy when you start the process.

Make sure to ask if the charity handles the car donations - have their own charity car donation program or pays an outside company to do it. If the for-profit company handles the car or vehicle donations, find out just how much money the charity receives from the sale and how much will go to the for-profit company.

You will see car donation program in just about every major city in every state in the U.S., including California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Michigan. There are no laws preventing charities from accepting these types of donations.

Some of the car donation charities you might see are: Target, Purple Heart, Kidney Foundation, Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries and various cancer organizations.

In any case you will greatly benefit for your charity car donation both in claiming a nice car donation tax deduction or benefit and in helping charities continue to operate so they can help people in need.

Helen Hecker asked:


In the United States it’s possible to donate a vehicle (usually a car, but it can be a boat or any other form of transportation) to certain charities, and in return be able to claim a tax deduction on your personal income tax return. A car donation may be accepted on the condition that the vehicle doesn’t have to run but should be in towing condition. A charitable car donation may be worth more than a trade-in.

The new rules allow the donor to deduct only the amount the charity receives for the vehicle. Charities usually provide you with a release of liability when they take your vehicle, and after the car sells, they send you a tax-deduction form that explains how much they received for your car. There have been car donors who needed a new vehicle and they ended up buying donated and repaired vehicles.

You may have an old vehicle sitting on your property or on the street that you don’t use very often. Make sure you have the title in hand if you call in your donation.

You can usually donate a sad-looking car that’s not running, depending on the charity. The donor benefits from the donation by receiving a tax receipt for the highest possible value of the vehicle. It’s good to know that when you donate a car, you’ll get it off your property within just a couple of days, freeing up space in the garage, in the driveway or even your yard.

Your vehicle has to have all four of the tires inflated in order to be accepted. By donating a car it can eliminate spending money on repairs, advertising fees and the problems or liabilities associated with selling a vehicle. In some cases charitable car donors can still claim fair market value for their used vehicle.

If your automobile, truck, boat, motorcycle, RV or aircraft is no longer of use to you, it can still go a long way toward supporting the charity of your choice. Make sure to fill out the forms the charity representative gives you and have them ready for the driver when he comes to pick up the car. No need to pay for advertising, no loss of privacy and possible security risk, and no need to pay for vehicle registration, insurance, and repairs to keep your car in running condition while you wait for a buyer.

Also, if your car is running, consider dropping it off with the charity yourself to save the organization from paying for towing costs. For states that require smog certificates or safety inspection certificates, you can donate your vehicle without these documents. And some cars may not qualify for the tax exemption because of the condition they’re in.

There are a few exceptions in the new tax law regarding the fair market value section, for example, you may base your deduction on the vehicle’s fair market value if the charity sells it to a needy individual at a discounted price or if the charity uses the car as part of its mission instead of selling it. Some charities have the capability to repair or perform maintenance and get a donated vehicle ready for sale. A vehicle donation is allowed if you itemize your income tax return.

Whether it’s the law in your state or not it’s a good idea to protect yourself by having proper insurance coverage on your vehicle until it’s donated. One of the exceptions to the new IRS regulations allows donors to still deduct the fair market value of their vehicle, provided the charity materially improves the vehicle.

If you donate a car you can get a tax break and help your community at the same time. Major charity car donation programs include: Kidney Foundation Car Donation Program, Target and Goodwill Industries. Whatever the case, your car donation, like any charitable donation, will get you a good tax deduction, will go to help someone in need and it’ll make you feel good that you were able to help in some way.