Donate a Car for Charity

Donate a Car for Charity

Donating is one of the most ennoble acts in our modern society, which had evolved in various forms. One of which is donating a car for a charity. Whether you only want to replace, dispose of your old vehicle or just empty your garage, donating your car for charity is beneficial not only to the charitable institutions but also to you.

Things to Ponder on Before You Donate a Car

Depending on the circumstances you are living in, most people nowadays consider having a car as a necessity, especially here in the United States of America where possessing a car is a must-have. Hence, if you were to decide whether to donate a car, the following are things that you need to ponder on before you do so.

Why you should do it?

There are two (2) general reasons why you should do it. The first one is that you can help other people, especially those in need. When you donate car for charity, usually, at least 50 percent of the proceeds of the sales  will go to the target charity, which you can identify. You can even pinpoint to which advocacy you would like the proceeds of the car donation sales will go to. It can be for advocacies related to education, health and nutrition, environment, and many more. The car you donate today could save a hundred lives.

Another reason is tax credits! .You can donate your old car for tax credits. You just need to file an itemized tax return to deduct up to $500 or the sale or market value of the vehicle you will be donating, whichever is greater. However, you also need to be mindful of the other limitations that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is imposing. You need to check if you are qualified, what types of vehicles are allowed, filing requirements, and the like.

How to donate a car?

Most of the time, you only need a signed title to donate a car. However, the full list of requirements may vary in every state. For instance, a title is not required if you will be donating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and boats. But, passenger vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, and trailers from 1975 and newer will require title. On the other hand, title is not required in Washington DC for ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles that are under 50 cc engines. Nevertheless, there are already many online sites that will help you go through the entire process of donating a car.

Where to donate the car?

There are various organizations that can benefit from the sales proceeds when you donate a car for charity. If you prefer a specific beneficiary, you can choose from different causes such as organizations that advance animal welfare, arts, children, education, environment, health, human rights, and even other human services. It is a good thing that there are already online websites that aggregate the list of charities for you. Therefore, you no longer need to search them one by one to identify your specific beneficiary when you donate a car. You can even select those that are near your area.

Indeed, if you have a vehicle that you no longer use or you plan to purchase a new one, consider donating it to the advocacy of your choice,  rather than sell it or leave it in your garage. Donating your car for charity significantly helps the charitable institution to accomplish its mission. Whatever reason you may have, donating your car for charity is always a good thing to do.