| Giving your vehicle to a vehicle donation | | | | donation center at all. |
| center is a gesture of good will and | | | | |
| generosity that helps the charity of your | | | | Over 95% of transactions that take place at |
| choice to make a difference in the life of | | | | authorized vehicle donation centers, are done |
| people and families in need. A car donation | | | | as a "for-profit" business venture. The |
| center usually does business through a | | | | donation center must follow certain rules of |
| 'middle' agent between you (the donor) and | | | | conduct with regards to how you may be |
| the charity you wish to help (the recipient | | | | enticed into vehicle donation. There also |
| of your donation). Car Donations are quick | | | | exists a register of organizations that are |
| and easily handled utilizing charity vehicle | | | | not allowed to do business in the state. |
| donation programs. You can donate cars, | | | | |
| trucks, vans, boats, planes, even lots and | | | | One very important function of an authorized |
| real estate. | | | | vehicle donation centers is helping you |
| | | | determine a fair donation value for your |
| When one has a car that is a good candidate | | | | donated car, truck, boat or RV to be reported |
| for automotive donation, there are very often | | | | to the IRS. This is not the so-called "blue |
| time constraints that don't allow for a great | | | | book" value but, instead, its value on the |
| deal of shopping around for the most needy | | | | market. Bear in mind, this market may be |
| individuals in the community, much less, | | | | wholesale rather than retail. |
| repairing and making that vehicle a useful | | | | |
| donation. An authorized vehicle donation | | | | Most often, the value you'll be given a |
| center, that is recognized by charitable | | | | receipt for is the value the charity |
| organizations and the IRS, will be able to | | | | ultimately receives for the car. If you |
| take care of your vehicle, find the best and | | | | don't receive a receipt suitable for tax |
| most effective use for the vehicle and give | | | | purposes right away, that's o.k., but if you |
| you a verifiable receipt for your tax forms. | | | | receive no word in a few months, you should |
| | | | start making phone calls to the authorized |
| But, how do you know your vehicle is being | | | | vehicle donation center's offices in |
| used for the charitable purposes the | | | | question. If the car is being repaired |
| supposedly authorized vehicle donation center | | | | before sale, it could take some time. Even |
| claims to support? There are several signs, | | | | though authorized vehicle donation centers |
| especially when you're looking online for | | | | very rarely do that, preferring the wholesale |
| such a service or responding to solicitation, | | | | and scrap methods. |
| that you're dealing with a non-authorized | | | | |
| vehicle donation center. | | | | This is especially true in the case of |
| | | | vehicles that are not currently running. |
| A quick check with just a few, even as little | | | | However, there is still money to be made, and |
| as one or two of the charitable organizations | | | | most legitimate and authorized vehicle |
| (preferably ones you've heard of before), | | | | donation centers will be happy to come and |
| should yield an acknowledgement of the | | | | haul your old car, truck or boat away for |
| authorized vehicle donation center's | | | | free. You should be suspicious of any |
| association as a qualified agent of that | | | | supposedly authorized vehicle donation center |
| charity. Any legitimately authorized vehicle | | | | that would require you to pay for towing |
| donation center will be able to provide you | | | | services and ask. |
| with a list of charities it brokers deals | | | | |
| for. | | | | If the fair value of your car is less than |
| | | | $250, there is no reason to bother with a |
| Though very few authorized vehicle donation | | | | form of donation from your chosen charity or |
| centers are registered with the IRS as a 501 | | | | a third-party organization such as an |
| (c)(3) non-profit organization, the charity | | | | authorized vehicle donation center. However, |
| you donate to must be. Without this badge of | | | | for anything over that amount, you will need |
| approval from the tax authorities, you'll not | | | | a receipt in writing. If you receive more |
| be allowed to legally take the deduction. | | | | than $5,000 for your vehicle, you will be |
| Even worse, this can set you up for an audit | | | | require to fill out an additional form (Form |
| and no one wants to mess with that kind of | | | | 8283, section B) to be signed by a |
| attention. A truly legitimate authorized | | | | representative of the authorized vehicle |
| vehicle donation center will be able to | | | | donation center in question AND an |
| provide you with their tax ID number so you | | | | independent appraisal. |
| may confirm it on the IRS website. | | | | |
| | | | Though there are certainly charlatans out |
| Several states additionally certify | | | | there who would take advantage of charitable |
| authorized vehicle donation centers on their | | | | giving to line their own pockets, the IRS and |
| own. If your state is one of these, you can | | | | state governments take this very seriously. |
| easily check with the state attorney | | | | The state Attorney General's office will have |
| general's office to see if the donation | | | | a list of known scammers to avoid. Once you |
| center you're considering is listed on the | | | | know the authorized vehicle donation center |
| state non-profit rolls. If not, you may not | | | | you've chosen is on the up and up, you can |
| be dealing with an authorized vehicle | | | | donate with peace of mind. |