A Charity Car Donation - The Benefits For You

From large or small checks, to cash, to old vehicles, to household items - there are many ways that people can make charity donations. The reasons behind these donations may vary. Some people donate solely for the tax benefit (if any). Others want to satisfy a need to help out others less fortunate than themselves. Still others (like me on many occasions) donate stuff to charity in order to get rid of 'crap' that is taking up valuable space.

But when is comes to vehicles, a car donation can help out others in a big way. And you stand to get some real while benefits that you may not have thought of...

1. You get more parking space:

That old clunker is taking up valuable parking space. Get rid of it and your life will be better. And if you are replacing the old car with a new one, great. Because...

2. The old car is an eyesore - you will be improving the neighborhood by getting rid of it:

Replacing the old car with a new one or eliminating it altogether is better than leaving the dingy-looking one parked at the curb in front of your house.

3. You can use your upcoming charity car donation to help you get your 'significant other's' permission to buy that new car you've been wanting:

Here's what you need to do to make this work: Tell her (or him) that you'd like to do something nice for a family in need, and that a charitable car donation is the best way you can do that. Let her know that you'll get a tax deduction. Don't tell her about your plans to look at a new car quite yet... wait until you've already donated your used car. Then introduce the idea to her slowly, and 99% of the time your spouse will gladly support you! (Sneaky? No, just good manners; goodness all around!)

4. You get a possible tax deduction:

Here's the way this works: A standard deduction of $500 off of your reported income is the only tax benefit you'll get if the car is really old or damaged (salvage yard material). But if the Kelley Blue Book value or N.A.D.A. (National Automobile Association) value of your vehicle is higher, you can claim more.

But remember that your charity car donation tax deduction is a reduced reported income, NOT the face value deduction from what you owe the IRS. Nevertheless, every little bit helps, right?

5. You get the good feeling of helping out a family that has truly fallen on bad times:

Not everyone that gets charity donations are lazy, welfare spongers; most are folks not much different from you or me. The difference is that they experienced extraordinary bad luck. Bad luck that - up 'til now - you and I have been fortunate enough to miss.

...Things such as fires, floods, victims of crimes, and the worst of all - losing their jobs due to no direct reason of their own. Matter of fact, many of us are carrying so much debt that we are only a couple paychecks away from similar circumstances. A drivable car is often all a family needs to get back on the right track - transportation to and from work, etc.

So go ahead and make a charity car donation to your local charity. But which one? Some are better than others and not all take vehicles.