Car Donation

[PsyOps]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but does anyone have advice on charities to donate a car? I know about Melwood, but would like to seek out other options before just defaulting to them.

Thanks.

 

[aps45819]

Just Google "donate your car", you'll get plenty.
Hope you know the rules on that have changed. You get to deduct what the charity sells the car for. It can sit on their lot for a year, get scrapped for $50, etc. Untill THEY move it, no deduction.

 

[PsyOps]

Just Google "donate your car", you'll get plenty.
Hope you know the rules on that have changed. You get to deduct what the charity sells the car for. It can sit on their lot for a year, get scrapped for $50, etc. Untill THEY move it, no deduction.

I thought you get to deduct what the Bluebook value is.

I did Google it but it brought up too much. I wanted to narrow it down to local charities.

 

[rallwine2000]

The Center for Life Enrichment in Hollywood takes donated vehicles

 

[PsyOps]

I found out the rule is: If the charity keeps the car for their own use you can get up to the "fair-market vaule of the car (I think this means Blue Book) for the deduction. But if they sell it or scrap it then you get the value for that sale. My question is here, how do you track what they do with the car? What if they keep if for a month, then sell it? Are they required to notify me of the status of the car?

 

[Dutch6]

I found out the rule is: If the charity keeps the car for their own use you can get up to the "fair-market vaule of the car (I think this means Blue Book) for the deduction. But if they sell it or scrap it then you get the value for that sale. My question is here, how do you track what they do with the car? What if they keep if for a month, then sell it? Are they required to notify me of the status of the car?

What are you donating? You may make more just selling it outright. :shrug:

 

[PsyOps]

What are you donating? You may make more just selling it outright. :shrug:

It's a 94 Chevy Calvalier. I'm not out to make money on this. It's worth donating but not selling. The most I want out of this is a tax break (although that's not hugely important). I just know a Charity would get good use out of it.

 

[Dutch6]

http://www.habitat.org/carsforhomes/benefits.aspx

 

[Dutch6]

http://www.americascarsforkids.org/taxsavings.asp

 

[richmanmh]

You can also try any of the local volunteer fire stations. They use the cars to practice on, not to resell.

 

[PsyOps]

I appreciate everyone's advice. Everyone has helped us decide on a Charity that fits our desire to help.

 

[desertrat]

You can also try any of the local volunteer fire stations. They use the cars to practice on, not to resell.

What would be the write off then, scrap or the value of the training?

 

[kwillia]

What would be the write off then, scrap or the value of the training?

I would assume it would fall under the "write off up to but not exeeding $499" rule.

 

[bcp]

The bcp foundation could use it to transport mexican senoritas with cleaning supplies into some of the foundations larger buildings that it maintains.

I think the foundation is also up for payment of said vehicles.

 

[Suz]

I appreciate everyone's advice. Everyone has helped us decide on a Charity that fits our desire to help.

If your local (st. M) look for a sign by the Bean Medical bldg. I don't recall the name of the organization, but we have donated both a van and a car to them. They came and got them and we got to write off the blue book value. Whether that part is legal or not I am not sure but hubby did it with both.

 

[marianne]

I found out the rule is: If the charity keeps the car for their own use you can get up to the "fair-market vaule of the car (I think this means Blue Book) for the deduction. But if they sell it or scrap it then you get the value for that sale. My question is here, how do you track what they do with the car? What if they keep if for a month, then sell it? Are they required to notify me of the status of the car?

We donated one of our cars to "Vehicles for Change" because they were one of the few charities that actually tries to fix the cars and then give them to people in need. They send you a letter saying what they've done with the car - whether they were able to fix the car & give it to a family or whether they had to auction off the car. Depending on what they do with it (if it's in good enough condition for them to fix), you get the blue book value for the tax deduction. Our car was in pretty good condition overall but had a blown head gasket which they repaired.