Donate Car to Charity with tax deduction benefits in the United States

Want to donate car to charity in the United States? Here are important guidelines that can protect you donating your used automobile to some wrong charity organisations and help you to get tax benefits as well.

Donate Car To Charity

Car Donation

Car donation is a common practice in the United States. People who own a vehicle and do not want any more, most of such people prefer to donate it to a charity organization. Here is an alert: there has been plenty cases where donors have donated their motor vehicle to some charity who are in reality doing car selling business in the pretext of charity services. And the donor at the end did not receive any tax benefit.

If a car owner does not want a car which has less selling price in the market and do not want tax benefit, in such case the car owner might not want to claim tax benefits. But the car is valuable and has good market price but eager to help needy ones through charity, then donating the car to right charity organisation is essential. And donation made to genuine charity organisation is helpful to claim tax benefit at the end.

Donate Car to Charity

Following are the important guidelines to help you to decide to donate car to charity.

First decide a charity organisation. Make sure the charity body benefits the same mission which you are interested to donate for.

Certain charity organisations directly use donated car for various purposes. But rest sell the cars and arrange fund for charity mission.

Do double check, how much percentage of the price of your donated car once it is sold, is going to used for charity programs and what percentage is going directly to Administrative process charges.

Do not donate your car to any charity organisation that has more than 25% administrative processing cost.

Now the vital part: Once you decide a charity organisation, then enquire do they accept car donation? There are organisation which do not accept auto mobile donation.

Do not donate your used automobile if the charity is not going to use more than 75% of the price of your donation if sold, towards charity missions.

Warning: There are charity institutes which use 25% to 50% of money raised from selling a donated car and rest goes into their account. So beware of such platforms which make money for them self in the name of non-profit organisation and charity

Major problems that most donors encounter are fraud and misrepresentation. There are plenty cases where Attorneys General from multiple states have investigated car donation charities for false advertising. Many of the Organizations which has even reputation for charity programs are not not-profit organization.They are absolutely for-profit organization act as intermediaries that provide less contributions to a participating charity. And rest spend low percentages of the raised fund by selling donated cars towards their charity projects.

How to know Charity Organisation is good one?

By saying good one, I mean a non-profit charity body must be spending more than 75% of gained fund by selling donated vehicles towards various charity causes. Now the question is: Is there any way we can know about how much percentage of the earned fund a non-profit charity organization spend towards good cause?

Yes there is. CharityWatch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It provides information about charities' financial efficiency, accountability, governance, and fundraising. 'CharityWatch' is located in Chicago, United States and was established by Daniel Borochoff in 1992. Formerly it was known as American Institute of Philanthropy. In short AIP.

CharityWatch analyzes various charity financial documents and publishes its reports. It mainly promotes charity accountability and transparency through its research. Donors are encourages by these people to donate at such charities which spend most of the earned fund towards various the donor wish to support for. They frequenlty publish ratings of the financial efficiency of more than 500 charities in the united States.

Their ratings range from A+ to F. A+ is the best rating and F is the worst rating. Best part about these ratings: They include percentage of a charity's budget is pent on program services, accountability measure and the salaries of the charity's top three highest paid employees. Their guide alerts donors from being victim of some charity scam. Their official website contains top rated charities list.

NOTE: If an organization is not registered as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) of the United States then it is not a non-profit charity.

Tax Deduction Benefits for a Car Donation (United States)

Want to claim tax deduction benefits for a car donation to a charity then here is the Federal Tax Mathematics. Car donation for charity comes under charity tax deduction.

To claim the benefit of tax deduction, you must have to itemize your return. (If your donated vehicle is the only deduction, then still you can itemize your return). If your income tax filings fall in the 25 % tax bracket and allowed deduction value for the donation is $100 USD, then it will save you $25 USD.

Remember: Only car donation to qualified charities can benefit you a tax deduction. Charity that are identified as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) of the United States are the qualified entity.

Want to find a charity organization is a non profit, genuine one and qualifies you for a charity tax deduction, then search here: Tax Exempt Organization Search

If a charity auctions your car for $500 or less, you can claim either the fair market value or $500, whichever is less.

If a charity auctions your donated car for more than $500, then you have to complete section A of IRS form 8283 and file it with your tax return.

If a charity auctions your donated car for more than $5,000, you need to get an independent appraisal of it and also complete Section B of Form 8283.

If the charity uses the donated car in its work, then you can claim the fair market value.

Note: Once your car is picked by Charity or you yourself delivered your car, then the charity organization is required to provide documents to you with in the 30 days of selling. Obtain receipts from the charity for the vehicle and also obtain document for what price the car was sold for.

Make sure to sign over the title of the car to the organization and that a representative signs it, as well. If someone is picking the car up, have them sign the title and take a photocopy of it.

Car Donation to Charity Benefits

Charity Need help to help needy ones : There are people who need help and there are charities who are struggling day and night to provide help. These charities are in constant need. Donating a good condition functioning car can help them. Most Americans believe in joining helping hands and do plenty charity to help needy ones.

Charitiy can Use the donated vehicle for transportation: Charity often hire transportation to deliver food, cloth to poor people around. They often need vehicle to take old sick people to Doctors. Donated car can ease the process.

Donar Can Get Tax Deduction Benefits: Donating a car to charity comes under charity tax deduction and can claim tax deduction benefits.

Get Rids off a vehicle you don't need: Bored of using a vehicle and planning to purchase new one. Instead of selling it in the market, donating to charity would be a great idea. People from charity are going to tow you your vehicle for you. You don't have to struggle at all.

Is it worth to donate used cars to a charity?

Yes absolutely. Making donation to right charity worths lot. Despite there are scams, frauds and misrepresentation, Americans are curious, eager to help people in terms of Food, Treatment, Cloth and smile on face. Donation to a non-profit charity organisation identified by Internal Revenue Services of United States eligibles the donor for a charity tax deduction. And most often donated vehicles are used for transportation purpose by the Charity People. And if auctioned then raised fund will be spent towards the benefits of the people who need help.

Best place to donate car to charity

Following are the best places to be considered to donate your used car to charity of your choice. 

One Car One Difference

Insurance Auto Auctions Donation Division runs a campaign "One Car, One Difference" to create public awareness to donate cars.

Official Website: 1car1difference.com

They typically share 72 percent of the money arrange from auctions of the donated vehicle.

Charity Motors is a popular charity that accepts vehicle donations and they donate high percentage of the proceeds to the charity of donor's choice. 

Official Website: https://www.charitymotors.org/

If you are looking for a good tax deduction benefits then charity motors is the best solution for you. 

The Arc Vehicle Donation


The Arc is a non-profit organization, contracts with another highly efficient charity, Melwood and processes the car donation procedure. Mainly it advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Official Website: https://www.thearc.org/

Charity Motors


Charity Motors is a popular charity that accepts vehicle donations and they donate high percentage of the proceeds to the charity of donor's choice. 


If you are looking for a good tax deduction benefits then charity motors is the best solution for you. 

Car Donation Wizard

Commercial Fundraising Organization Advanced Remarketing Services has provided online option "Car Donation Wizard" and it shares 80 percent of the generated revenue from donated car auctions with the charities that are in conrtact.


This is a nationally licensed and highly reputable vehicle dealer. One more benefit this establishment provide and that is it saves the proceeding fee for a donation. 

Conclusion

- Find out a charity that supports and has same mission as of your interest of help to needy people.
- Check do they accept car donations.
- Check at IRS, United States Website whether the charity is identified as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
- Check at CharityWatch about that charity's previous work, what percentage of the raised fund was spent for charity cause. (If it more than 70 to 75% than go for it)

Note: If you do not want tax deduction benefits, then it is better to sell the used car by yourself direct to a buyer and donate the money direct at the charity office.
Donate Car to Charity with tax deduction benefits in the United States Donate Car to Charity with tax deduction benefits in the United States Reviewed by Pixel Stream on August 01, 2019 Rating: 5

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