There are many ways to get rid of a car you no longer want. If it is in good shape, you can sell it. There are many repairable SUVs for sale and yours could be one of them. But another option is to donate your car to charity. This video provides practical tips on how to do this, which is helpful because there are a lot of steps to take. While donation isn’t as difficult as it looks, it involves a lot more than dropping your car off at an organization’s headquarters and leaving. If you want to make the most of your car donation, there are several steps you need to take before taking the plunge.
First, do your research. There are many charitable organizations out there, but they are not all the same. Some will put the donation toward their cause while others will use it to pay salaries or pay for non-charitable expenses. All charities and non-profits are going to have some expenses, but if the majority of the money goes toward those instead of helping others, this is not a charity you want to work with. Look up reputable organizations on the IRS website or Google and investigate their websites. Are they transparent about their finances? Do they clearly explain how to donate and the ways in which your donation will be used? Are they a registered non-profit? This last one is extremely important if you are hoping to use your donation to get a tax deduction at the end of the year.
Once you’ve chosen your charity, document everything about the donation. Make sure you know the value of the car, who you spoke to, and the dates when everything occurred. Sign over the car title and make copies of all the documents. Mark down even the smallest aspects of the process. You never know what might come up and having this information easily available can get you out of some sticky situations.
If this seems like too much for you to do right now, another possibility is selling the car, then donating the money you earned from the sale to a charity of your choice. This doesn’t have to be a difficult process and there are organizations, like Car Brain, that can help you make it even easier. You just follow the steps to sell your car, take the money, and donate it directly. You once again document everything so that you can claim the tax deduction.
Regardless of which approach you use, the end result is that you no longer have your old car taking up space and a charity now has more resources to put toward its mission.