Dealing with car donation organizations sound really simple, but is it really? Before you make that big car donation, make sure that you know all there is to know about the car donation organization you are interested in. There are quite a number of car donation organizations out there and they all represent various causes, several of which you may hold close to your heart. However, if you only have one car to donate, you can only choose one organization to help out.
What To Look For In Car Donation Organizations
Car donation organizations are functioning entities so it is quite fine to expect a little bit of something in return for your generosity. And no, this is not about the tax deductions. Rather, it has to do with the kind of service they provide you in the course of you making a car donation. For starters, go for a car donation organization that offers to pick up the vehicle you are donating so you don’t have to go through the trouble of dropping off your car. Sounds fair enough, right? They want your car and you’re more than willing to give it to them, so the least they can do is pick it up themselves. Car donation organizations should be the ones to deal with third-party service providers who will be collecting your car, but they should coordinate with you with regards to the pick-up schedule and arrangements that is most convenient for you. To ensure that you are indeed donating your car to a worthy cause, do make sure that the necessary documents are in place to show the organizations legitimacy. You don’t want anyone pulling a fast one you so better to be safe than sorry.
Quick Tips For Dealing With Car Donation Organizations
- Avoid middlemen and go direct. This way, you ensure that the full value of the car you are donating does go to the organization of your choice, not lining the pockets of someone who’s probably richer than you.
- Know how your organization of choice is doing. In order for you to take advantage of deductions for helping car donation organizations, your organization of choice must be qualified to be a 501(c)(3) organization approved by the IRS. Mosques, synagogues, and churches qualify, but for other organizations, you can check with the IRS official site. Just type in 78 on the search field to check Publication 78 for the list of qualified non-profit car donation organizations.