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Donate car, but to where?

dcdomain

dcdomain

Diamond Member
Good evening,

My family wants to donate a car and after Googling, I was wondering if I could get some more information out of you ATOT people. Anyone have experiences with the process and the organizations that do this? If so could you please share? Below are some of the places I found online:

Yahoo Directory (Big List)
Just Give (lists a few, nothing that really jumps out at me)
Charity Funding
Donation Online site looks shadier than the others, but sounds legit, all information is given through the web form which I like

Any particular charity I should be targeting? Thanks...
 
I've always donated my old cars to rest stops and freeway shoulders. Just make sure you remove the license plates and dremel the VIN.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
I've always donated my old cars to rest stops and freeway shoulders. Just make sure you remove the license plates and dremel the VIN.
Click to expand...

asshole
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
I've always donated my old cars to rest stops and freeway shoulders. Just make sure you remove the license plates and dremel the VIN.
Click to expand...

why would you do that if you could get a tax break by donating?
 
Originally posted by: dcdomain
Good evening,

My family wants to donate a car and after Googling, I was wondering if I could get some more information out of you ATOT people. Anyone have experiences with the process and the organizations that do this? If so could you please share? Below are some of the places I found online:

Yahoo Directory (Big List)
Just Give (lists a few, nothing that really jumps out at me)
Charity Funding
Donation Online site looks shadier than the others, but sounds legit, all information is given through the web form which I like

Any particular charity I should be targeting? Thanks...
Click to expand...


Donating to a charity will generate the same tax break as any type of donation. If the car is useable and could help the charity for transportation purposes, the give it to the one that you most like.

If the car is not running, give it to a local school that has an auto-shop.

You can get the same tax value to it, plus, the car can be torn down by kids to learn how to fix it properly.

Many years ago, it did this route to the local HS autoshop. I took the full used caar retail value as a tax deduction.
the car was breaking down; but the school tore down the engine and tranny, rebuilt them.
The body was then reworked and the car looked like it was only 3-4 years old vs 15 when it was shown to me after a couple of years and ran smoothly.

The car is now used for instructional purposes within the auto/body shop.

I think that this is the best way to go. Helps tghe local school and trains the kids on working with older cars.
Charities will just have the car either junked or sold at auction, everybody gets a cut of the pie.
 
Hey that's definitely an idea! I had a great time at my high school, and it's not too far away, but I'm wary of paying for towing. I'm not sure if it even runs anymore but I'll get in touch with someone there to see if they want it. How do I claim the tax deduction, do I need some sort of paperwork from the school?
 
On the radio, I heard there's this organization that takes car donations. They're called Volunteers of America, they provide towing and all forms needed for getting a tax deduction, and they use the vehicles to help veterans in the US and other needy people. VOA Cars helping people.
 
Kidney Cars

This is where i donated my GF's last car after it died. You just mail them the title and tell them where it is and one day it dissapears, poof.

They took it to the auto auction house and sold it for parts.
 
My dad donated two of our cars (one non-working and one after-accident) to Father Joe's Villages. I think it's for southern California only though, but am not entirely sure. They will do the paperwork for you and will pay for the towing.

Also on their site they have some tips for donating, and a link for another site (Charity Navigator) which is a database of national charities and has a rating system for each.

Hope that helps.
 
just sell it, unless you have a accountant/CPA or tax professional recommend this to you, you should just sell it cheap in the local want ads and take what you can get
 
Originally posted by: FoBoT
just sell it, unless you have a accountant/CPA or tax professional recommend this to you, you should just sell it cheap in the local want ads and take what you can get
Click to expand...

If the car will run, the value to sell it is more than the tax value unless the condition is poor. Check out what the blue book value is for retail in the best condition and use that as a starting point for a tax value.

Originally posted by: dcdomain
Hey that's definitely an idea! I had a great time at my high school, and it's not too far away, but I'm wary of paying for towing. I'm not sure if it even runs anymore but I'll get in touch with someone there to see if they want it. How do I claim the tax deduction, do I need some sort of paperwork from the school?
Click to expand...

The school will provide yoiu with a statement stating that you donated a vehicle of year and model on such a date. Do not have them put in the mileage or condition.

That is all you will need to justify the donation to the IRS.
The deduction will show up on your Schedule A under the charity area. If you are unable to file a Schedule A due to overall deductions, then you are SOL.

Then options would be
1) Try to sell the vehicle.
2) Give the vehicle to the school anyway - bank the warm feeling :heart:
3) Find some-one who can use the deduction and negotiate a swap of donation for $ with them.😛
 
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