Car Donation and Tax Deduction

Donating Used Cars For A Cause
Modern technology has produced a surplus of goods which we find difficult to dispose of. While many of us are sensibly reaping the fruits of our contemporary development and affluence, it is not a bad idea to share some of our blessings to financially disadvantaged people.

What to donate?

There are hundreds of things to donate, as there are various ways to do it. As more and more people suffer from financial burden, increasing numbers of people are incapacitated to reach out to different places and are an impediment from the many opportunities waiting for them in the outside world.

Cars are considered to be one of our primary needs in this modern time. While more than 80% of most American adults own cars or at least renting their own cars, there are still some who cannot finance the purchase of their own automobiles.

This can isolate individuals and discriminate against them due to their financial situation. This is such a sad fact, yet, the good news is that you can do something to stop it or at least, be part of the cause in solving this part of this global dilemma.

Statistics

Just exactly how many individuals are getting into this humanitarian cause? From 1992 to present alone, institutions catering for car donations services have estimated to receive more than 35,000 cars a month within that period.

If you are planning to buy a new car and replace an existing one and have not come up with an idea where to put it, either selling it or rebuilding it, perhaps donating it to a charitable institution could solve your problem and potentially make a big difference in the lives of others.

How Can I donate my car?

Car donation centers usually offer services that including picking up the automobile you would like to donate (free of charge for most car charity institutions), prepare the title transfer requirements, and all legal documents related to the clearing of ownership of the car.

Most charitable donation centers who accept automobiles, provide a tax-deductible donation receipt to the donor in due consideration for donated cars.

Determining Eligibility for Car Assistance

Members of the board of charitable institutions choose among the list of applicants requesting a vehicle. Together, they determine the eligibility and proof of financial incapacity among applicants to purchase automobiles.

Preference will be awarded to individuals who have clear credit standing showing inability to purchase automobile machines. The car beneficiary will undergo the same legal process of transfer requirements to legitimately take its title of ownership.

Gregory Ashton, your resident automobile enthusiast, bringing to you over 20 years of vehicular passion, and expertise; presents for your approval his insider secrets on selecting, buying, and maintianing the car that is ideal for you. http://www.best-car-buying-tips.com.

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Make a Difference and Reap the Benefits of Your Car Donation
When you contemplate buying a car (whether it's previously owned or new), you're faced with the decision of what to do with your old car. Often, trading it in means receiving only a fraction of its value. Selling it through an ad in the newspaper or online is a hassle. Not only do you have to pay for the advertisement, but you also have to endure questions from potential buyers and make yourself available to people who want to view the car or take it for a test drive. In addition, you assume financial risks, in that the buyer may present you with, for example, a fraudulent check.

Increasingly, car owners are choosing to donate their older cars to charity. The process involved in a car donation is straightforward, and gives the car owner the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping those in need. Often, the tax benefit afforded the car owner as the result of an auto donation exceeds the benefit of the outright sale of the vehicle.

A variety of charities are embracing car donation as a way to support the important and valuable work they do to help adults and children who are less fortunate. Many charities have seen donations fall off, as donors instead have contributed to disaster relief, such as efforts triggered by the tsunami in Asia or by Hurricane Katrina. When you donate your car to charity, you are providing worthy organizations with much-needed support.

Many of these organizations provide services internationally to people in need. Often, a car donation can go far in helping those who are most in need. You can be sure that your auto donation has a significant impact when it is used to help the over three billion people in the world who live on a meager $2 per day.

Your car donation can help a cause you care about and help you reap the tax benefits of auto donation. Whether your car is barely used or barely runs, you can still help those in need and list the contribution on your tax return. Although you should check with your tax preparer, you can typically deduct the full amount that the charity receives for your car or $500, whichever is more.

When you decide to donate your car, the process is easy. For example, Donate Car for Charity (www.donate-car-for-charity.com) lists five simple steps you can take to make a difference in the lives of those who need the services that charities can provide. In essence, they will help you determine the value of your car donation, and all you have to do is complete an auto donation form, provide the vehicle title, and arrange for your car to be picked up at no charge. Then, you can reap the tax benefit from your car donation, and feel the satisfaction that comes with knowing that you have made a difference in the lives of others.

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com To learn more about subjects like bumper stickers please visit the web site at: http://www.crazybumperstickers.com For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Novelties directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Novelties

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How the Car Donation Process Works
When it comes to car donations, there are many individuals who would like to donate their old, unwanted vehicles, but many end up not doing so. There are a number of reasons why a person changes their mind, when it comes to donating their vehicle, but many are unsure about how the process works. If you are one of those individuals, you are advised against changing your mind. Instead you will want to take the time to understand how the car donation process work.

When examining how the car donation process works, it is important to remember one thing. There are really two different ways that you can go about donating your car. Perhaps, the easiest way is to contact a car donation program or center. These centers and programs will not only save you time, but in many ways they will also give you piece of mind. This is because they, essentially, take the work right out of donating a car.

With car donation centers or programs, you will find that each center and program operates in different ways. Despite the possible different ways of operation, there are number of similarities between each. Depending on which center or program you donate your car to, you should be able to have it picked up. If not, it would be your responsibility to get your vehicle to the donation center. Once your vehicle is there, no matter how it got there, the process will begin.

A car donation program or center will typically examine your car, make any repairs, and clean it. This will help to ensure that a safe vehicle is given to a non-profit charity. Some car donation programs and centers outright contact charities that they feel could use a donated car and others already have a waiting list. That way your car, or at least the money from your car, if it was sold, will make it to a non-profit organization that could use the car or the money.

As mentioned above, there are two main ways to go about donating your old, wanted vehicles. In addition to using a car donation center or program, you can also find your own charitable organization. Although this will accomplish the same goal, it may be a time consuming process. Not all non-profit organizations need or want to accept a car donation, for that reason your donation may be turned down. That does not mean that you cannot find a charity or a non-profit organization that could use your donation, it just means that it may take some time.

Now that you know how the car donation process works, what are your plans? If you still have your old, unused, or unwanted vehicle in your driveway, you are urged to donate it. A lot of good can come out of something that you no longer need yourself.

Mariah Cruz is a writer for http://CarAngel.com where you will see abundant amounts of information on things such as a Car donation and other related information.

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Where Did Your Car Donation Go?
So you have made the decision to donate your old car to charity. Once donated, your car can have several things happen to it. The charity that you donate it to will decide how to process the donation based on the general condition of the car and operating order. Each charity will have different procedures they use to get the most value from your donated vehicle. You can check with the charity you are considering to determine what they plan to do with your donation.

Despite the condition of your donation you will have a bit of planning to do before donating your car. First, you are responsible for determining the fair market value of your donation. In 2005, in the USA, the law changed so now it is up to the vehicle owner to determine what it is worth. The owner must also have written documentation for the appraisal to justify the value when asking for a tax receipt from the charity.

If you are interested in claiming the car donation on your taxes you will need to know if the donation is valued at more than $500 or less. You will need to obtain additional information from the charity if the value of the car is more than $500. You must determine if the vehicle qualifies as a tax deductible donation. Most vehicles legal for public roads qualify to be tax exempt when donated. Also determine if the charity you are donating to has tax exempt status. Most educational and religious organizations will be tax exempt. Calling the charity and asking is often the best way to determine this.

Now that you have all the pre pick up paper work complete you are able to arrange for your donation to be picked up. Depending where you live this can be handled in a few ways. If the charity is near your home and your car operates you can drive it to the local charity and save them the cost of having it removed by a towing company.

Again, if the car you donated runs the charity may send a driver to the vehicle location and drive it away. This also saves them the cost of having it towed.

Of course if your car doesn't operate the charity will send a tow truck to the location and remove the vehicle. Most of the time the charity will send a registered tow truck company over to the location to haul the car away. In other instances the charity itself will have their own towing service. In either case you may need to provide the driver with the car title before they haul it away. This will also limit you from any liability since you are no longer the registered owner. Discuss this with the charity when you arrange for the pick up.

After your car is hauled away a number of things can happen depending on the condition of the vehicle. If the vehicle is in good shape the charity will have a mechanic inspect the donation and give it a pass if it meets safety standards. Any vehicle that passes inspection will either be sold at auction with the proceeds being used to support their organization. It may also be donated to a family in need that the charity supports. If it fails the inspection the mechanic will provide details of what need fixing. The charity will decide if is worth fixing the vehicle.

Those vehicles that are not road worthy or cost too much to repair will be striped for any valuable parts and the remainder will be send to the scrape yard. The parts of the vehicle will be separated and recycled. The steel from the frame and body panels will be sold off as scrap iron. The charity receives the proceeds from the recycling facility less the fee for processing the donation.

If you are donating a car that has sentimental value and you don't want it to end up as scrap you can talk with the charity in advance. The vehicle will either need to be in good working order before the charity gets the donation or be cost effective for them to fix it.

Donating a car is simple and goes a long way to helping charities in need. Knowing the steps involved to get rid of your old junker can help make the process go smoothly.
About the Author
Cars to Charity is a free guide for anyone who is planning to donate a car to charity. Learn the process and how to write off your donation.

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Why Donate To Charity Today?
Have you run into any of the organizations asking you to donate to charity today? So many people want you to donate to charity. Are you open to donate to charity? If you are willing to donate to charity how do you choose? If we start at the beginning then we should ask why should I donate to charity? The truth of the matter is there are so many incentives to donate to charity. Here are a few that, hopefully, will help you decide to donate to charity. What about the tax breaks? Every April we are reminded of how much money we pay the government. But if you donate to charity you will be giving money otherwise going to the government into the hands of people who need it a lot more. Come to think of it, maybe that's the only reason you need to donate to charity.

Have you ever imagined that if you decide to donate to charity you could have a lot more room to live? Everyone who decides to donate to charity doesn't give money. What about items that you could donate to charity? Is there anything laying around your home that you could donate to charity? When you donate to charity these extraneous items you gain room in your home. You see, everyone gains when you decide to donate to charity. Of course, the foundation of the need to donate to charity is that there are people who need your help. Not everyone in the world has experienced the same level of success, donate to charity from your good fortune and you increase the good fortune of someone not as blessed as you.

And speaking of different levels of success, have you always been as successful as you are now? Or was there a time when an organization was there for you? That sounds like a great way of living out your decision to donate to charity. Many of us have had times when things were not going well. If a charitable organization was there for you, donate to charity by giving back to them. Then, when you donate to charity you return the favor once paid to you. There are also people who go the memorial route when they donate to charity. Sometimes the best way to ease the pain of the loss of a loved one is to carry on their legacy with causes that mattered to them. If you donate to charity in their name you create a living tribute to their ideals. Suddenly your decision to donate to charity takes on a whole new meaning.

Last but not least, when you're deciding to donate to charity think on the things that matter to you. Every time you donate to charity it should stand for ideals that matter to you. Then, when you donate to charity you and the charity are working toward a common goal. So you see there are many aspects to consider when deciding to donate to charity. When you donate to charity people get helped. Donate to charity and become a helper to those who need it most.
About the Author
Alan Jason Smith is an Expert freelance author that writes outstanding articles for Donate to Charity Online which is an excellent place to find chairty links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.donatetocharityonline.com/

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Is it Worthwhile to Donate a Car?
There are charitable institutions that accept cars as a form of donation these days. Cars, although very expensive, can be a great help to the people who are under the care of such institutions. Other people think that donating a car is as easy as leaving it with any organization they come across with. It’s not the case. There are things to consider so that you will have a smooth and fun experience in doing so.

Cars are very expensive nowadays! An individual can spend thousands of dollars just to buy a brand new car and even to have their license fixed. A stable person can cope with these expenses and still can eat more than what he or she only needs. A charity is only supported by some people, through their help the institution can outgrow the problems and somehow survive.

Charitable foundations have their own funds that are given by their donors. If there are no donors, there are no funds! A virtue like this is always carried by people, they don’t often show it but they do have it. Virtues like trust, honesty, generosity and patience are the top ones. There is nothing wrong in helping these charitable institutions. In fact, it will make you feel in touch with your humanity.

The reason why charitable institutions accept vehicle donation is for the purpose of raising funds. It is either the charity or the dealer who will facilitate the selling of the donated vehicle, usually in bulk and through an auction. The lowest that a charity can get from each car would be about $45.

Hence, donating cars is not something advertised or prevalent these days. Although there is such a thing, many people are not accustomed to this. There are only countries that practice this. One good example is the United States.

So that you will not be scammed, there are important steps you need to consider:
1.Make a list of the charitable institutions that accepts car donations. Trust your instinct; select the ones that pierce your interest. You can make a quick rundown to narrow down your choices. Do these until you come up with only one specific charity.

2.Before you donate your car, make sure that you do a little background check on the institution you will de be dealing with. This will help you assess if it is legitimate or otherwise. One good establishment to check with for this type of background check is the Better Business Bureau.

3.Another way to check with regards to the background of the institution is through the State Attorney General.

4.Another option for more information about the organization is by asking them directly and to ask them for a legitimating proof of their authenticity. Check if they are eligible to receive car donations and if the sale is still tax deductible. This can be accomplished by asking them to show you their letter of determination, which they sent to the IRS and was sent and returned to them with an approval notice. It will indicate the charitable institutions so-called tax-exempt status. Thus, you can insist that you get a copy of this as well.

5.If you choose the latter, you need to be vigilant while talking to the people who run the charity. You need to listen to them attentively and read between the details they are saying.

6.If the institution tells you the 100% of your car’s proceedings will go to the charity directly, it is a 100% lie as well. This is due to the fact that the organizations that deal with charitable institutions incur overhead expenses. Meaning, the proceedings of the vehicle, when sold, only 40% - 50% of these proceedings will be given to the charity. This is in order to cover the advertisement expenses, the incurred towing fees, salaries and the like.

7.Do not entrust your car to a middleman who will emphasize that they will be the ones to bring you car donation to a specific charity. This is due to the fact that only a percentage of the amount received from the sale of your car will only be provided. This is like merely donating $100 out of the $1000 sale of your car. What makes it more complicated is the fact that it is recognized legally. The middleman will only deduct the amount they had incurred while they were looking for your car’s buyer.

8. Try to visit the charitable institution once or twice during the course of your transaction. You can have a tour around the place and understand what the funds will be for.

9.Once you have made the transaction and entrusted the charity with your car, ask for a receipt. It is best that the value of your car is indicated in this proof of transaction, for IRS purposes. Make sure you keep this receipt, for any untoward situations.

10.For instances where in your desired charity informs you that they will not be selling your vehicle and use it instead, they should present you with a letter or certification about their improvement intentions and plans for usage of your vehicle. There should also be an indication that the institution will in no circumstance sell your car or have it used for personal purposes by other people who are not related to the institution. This written documentation is valid and legal. Any fraudulent or suspected scenario will hold the charitable institution liable and they will be asked to pay a penalty fee.
About the Author
For more information on Car Donation please visit our website.

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A change in the last years made car donation charity less attractive for taxpayers, and delivered mixed results for charities that take cars. Some are reporting little or no change in the number or value of charitable auto donations for a tax deduction. Others say the changes have hurt their fundraising efforts. In one case the car donation charity that usually gets more than $12 million per year from the sales, saw the figure dropped to less than $7 million. As it stands now, the deduction a taxpayer can claim for car donation charity is limited to the amount for which the car sells at auction.

When donating to charity, taxpayers can deduct what they are able to document as the car’s fair market value. Because cars often sell for much less at auction than owners think they're worth, deductions will be much less and the charity must notify the taxpayer of the amount the car sold for before a deduction can be realized, unless the car is worth less than $500. An exception is if your giving is to a car donation charity that is going to use the car and not sell it. Then you can deduct the fair market value for the charitable auto donations. Car donation charity feared lower deductions would scare people away. Some charities and firms that auction cars for charity think that the lower tax deduction won't hurt donations and charity fundraising. That's because most of the people who donate to charity don't itemize, so they can't take a deduction anyway.

Most people are participating in car donations to charity because of convenience. They don't want to have to spend money to get the car in shape, to sell it. It is simple to participate at charitable auto donations! People like you and I, donate their cars to charity, and increase its funds, thus making a profound change in the overall standard of living of the neighborhood, and the nation. Your vehicle donation helps support a charity of your choice in their vital work. Theoretically, every charity may choose from a number of fundraising activities, including car donations, for financial support. Because of the substantial unit values, receiving car donations, and selling them for profit, is one of the favorite funds gathering models. How a charity operates a car donation program may have tax consequences. The program can affect the charity’s exempt status; and impact the tax-deductibility of the donor’s contribution. If any charity operates a car donation program in a manner that confers improper benefits on private parties, the charity’s exemption may be adversely affected. If the charity loses its exemption, its income is subject to tax, and it must file the appropriate federal income tax return. However, if the tax laws are adhered to, the program should not negatively impact on the charity’s tax-exempt status. Donors may deduct their contributions (if all legal requirements are met).

The car donation charity may hire a private, for-profit entity as an agent to operate its car donation program. Both of them must establish an agency relationship that is valid under the applicable state law. Generally, an agency relationship will be established where the parties agree that the for-profit entity will act on the charity’s behalf and that the for-profit entity’s activities covered by the agreement are subject to the charity’s audit. Accordingly, the charity should actively monitor program operations and have the right to review all contracts, establish rules of conduct, choose program operators, pre-approve all advertising materials, and examine the program’s financial records. Although it seems quite strict, the idea is to prevent any wasteful actions on part of the operator, that have the potential to reduce the net profits available for the charitable causes, and thus limit your impact, as a donor, on the beneficial work of your chosen nonprofit organization.

Sam Ness writes about charity-related issues affecting lives of ordinary Americans, wanting to help those less fortunate. Charity Donations

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Everywhere you go today people are asking you to donate to charity. And it's not like you don't want to donate to charity. But if you are going to donate to charity how do you decide which ones? You can't give to everyone but when choosing to donate to charity how do you pick?

Well, before we get into this too deeply maybe the first question to ask is why donate to charity? Well, believe it or not there are more reasons to donate to charity then we can cover here. We will just touch on a few of the somewhat obvious reasons to donate to charity. Each and every year we pay our government in the form of taxes. If you're like most people you would have no problem choosing to donate to charity money that otherwise would go to the government. That one reason alone is more than enough for some people to choose to donate to charity.

Did you know that spring-cleaning could be an excellent catalyst to donate to charity? Who said a decision to donate to charity had to be in the form of money? Do you have things laying around that you could donate to charity. Anything you don't use anymore you could donate to charity? And if you donate to charity the things you no longer have a use for it frees up room for your day-to-day living. Seems like a win-win for everyone when you decide to donate to charity.

The only reason you have ever been asked to donate to charity is because there are people who need assistance. There are people who have suffered greatly, donate to charity because you can and you give a hand up to someone who desperately needs it.

Also, think back and ask yourself if there ever was a time when you needed a charitable organization's help? If you're looking to donate to charity what could be better than to a charity that once helped you? If someone was there for you, donate to charity and you return the favor. You donate to charity and someone else benefits just as you did.

What if you donate to charity in someone else's name? Have you lost someone who was a strong supporter of a certain charity? Donate to charity as a gift to their memory. Now your decision to donate to charity is one you will never forget.

And along that same vein, when deciding to donate to charity look at what matters to you. No one would donate to charity if they didn't believe in what the charity was trying to accomplish. It's so easy to donate to charity when you believe so strongly in what they are working for.

So what will be the foundational reason for you to donate to charity? Will you donate to charity for the memory of a loved one? Or will you donate to charity because of how much you believe in what they do? Whatever you reason, the decision to donate to charity is a noble one that brings its own rewards.

Alan Jason Smith is an Expert freelance author that writes outstanding articles for Donate to Charity Online which is an excellent place to find chairty links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.donatetocharityonline.com/

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When you donate a car to charity, you are helping a person fulfill a need that they are unable to fulfill themselves. Most of us take for granted the convenience of our car, but for other people, a car is not only convenient but it may also help them to earn a living or provide kids with transportation to school. Besides having helped someone else, there are several other practical reasons why you should donate your car to charity.

For many of us, the thought of having to try and sell our old car that we have had for years is a bad one. Haggling over price with a car dealer and having to spend money to ensure the vehicle is in good enough condition to sell is a nuisance. In fact, spending the time and money on an already old car is sometimes actually counterproductive and ends up costing more money than it’s worth. When you donate a car to charity, you are not required to see that your vehicle is up to working standard. Furthermore, you do not have to spend the money to get your car towed to a lot. You do not have to place an ad in the paper and wait around for people to call or visit your less than perfect automobile. When it comes down to it, selling an old car requires effort. If you are in the position to part with your car and the money that you might make on selling it is minimal, you might just simply choose to donate it.

Speaking of money, one of the great benefits of donating your car to charity is that you are eligible for a tax deduction. In the United States, if you donate to a charity classified with the IRS as a 501(c)​(3) charitable organization, you may be eligible for a tax deduction. Before donating your car, it is useful to know the fair market value, which can be assessed by using one of the several guidebooks on the subject. Also, be clear on what your charity will do with the car, as it will make a difference in your tax break depending on whether the car is resold or broken down for parts. Taking the time to speak directly with your chosen charity will answer all your questions and give you a good idea of how they operate.

Donating your car to charity will help someone and will also benefit you. Whether it is to save yourself the inconvenience of selling an old car or not, you can still feel good knowing that you have been generous.

Seth Scolack is an avid philanthropist who donates his time and experience in an effort to help others. He writes about nonprofit fundraising and provides other tips for making donations easy. Savvy Seth's Donate a Car to Charity - (http://www.savvyseth.com/)

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