Car Donation and Tax Deduction

Donating a car to charity can seem like the easy part of the equation. Choosing a charity to donate to on the other hand isn't always so simple. Two popular choices for car donations are the American Cancer Society and Father Joe's Villages. You know that both do great work in the community but suppose they are both your favorite picks for their car donation programs. You only have one car. How do you decide which is best?

Both the American Cancer Society and Father Joe's Villages are worthy recipients of donations. In fact, both organizations would willingly tell a benefactor that either charity will make good use of any donated auto. A person who decides to donate to either charity should make sure, however, that the donation is going to be used for the designated organization. The best way to do this is to deal directly with either the American Cancer Society or Father Joe's Villages. Using a third party for charitable car donations can mean that the charity will not receive the full value of the contribution.

Some charities may claim that every penny received goes to the benevolent works of the foundation. But this is not possible as all charities have running costs which they need to fund. The American Cancer Society and Father Joe's Villages are registered charities whose financial statements can be investigated through the Attorney General of any state. If you want to know exactly what percentage of their donated funds these charities use for expenses contact either the charities direct or your state Attorney General.

Given that the American Cancer Society and Father Joe's Villages are both reputable charities that abide by federal rules for charitable car donations, are there any factors that make one of the charities a better place for your auto donation? The main difference between the programs of the American Cancer Society and Father Joe's Villages is that Father Joe's allows you to designate the charitable function to which the proceeds from your donation will be given.

As mentioned in the beginning, the decision to donate your car to charity can be the easiest facet of the whole arrangement. You only have one car so you have to make a choice. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your choice. In the final analysis it may be worth your while to visit both charities and get a first hand view on which is the best fit for you. That way you'll be able to see for yourself the work they do and which resonates more strongly with you.

About the Author
J Brennan is passionate about cars and supporting worthwhile charities. Car donations combines his two favorite things and he is eager to share his knowledge about both. For comprehensive information on how to go about donating your car to charity visit: http://www.usedcardonationtips.com