Are you feeling generous today and you are thinking about donating your car for a charity organization? Good thinking. Trust me Donating your car to charity is a great way to relieve your garage, reduce your taxes and also to support a people you care about. If you feel like you no longer need your old car, I think it’s best to put it to a good course instead of allowing it to rot in your garage while it milks you of tax. why not contact some of the charities that accept cars as donations in California.
If you are trying to donate your car to a charity, you need to be careful to avoid getting scammed. There are sites on the internet that claim to collect cars as donations, however, in the end they are fake. Whether your car is still new and still in its prime or not, or perhaps it’s an old clunker taking up space, charities across California are eager to accept your donation and put it to good use. In this guide, I will be walking you through the process of donating your car in California, how to contact a genuine charity organization and also the paperwork involved.
How To Donate A Car To Charity In California
To avoid getting scammed, you need to follow the right process and procedures. Don’t be deceived by an unauthorized individual or company claiming that they can help you donate your car to a charity swiftly, tread carefully and make research before dropping your car keys. To help you avoid situations like this, my team and I have provided below guidelines that will help you donate your car safely.
1. Select A Legit Charity
The city of California is known for their wide range of charities, this makes it easy to select among the vase charities available in the city the one that aligns with your values. However when picking a charity, you need to consider factors like their Reputation. Make sure the charity you are pulling in for is trustworthy and well known among people. Make findings about how they use their funds in the past years and whether they truly use it for a good course. You can verify your charity choice legitimacy by contacting the California Attorney General’s Office website or GuideStar.
Note that not all charities support car donation, so make sure you make the one you will be choosing runs a dedicated car donation program that provides clear instructions and makes the process easier.
2. Comprehend The Donation Process
After choosing a charity of your choice, you need to seek information about them. Make research about how their donation process works and other paperwork involved. You can start by contacting the charity directly to express your proposal, give them details about your vehicle, ask them about their plans on how to pick it up, how the transferring of ownership works, the tax information and don’t forget to ask them about the necessary paperwork involved.
Some charities tend to arrange a towing service for free, while some require you to bring the car yourself. If your car’s engine is not in the right condition, you can contact a towing service. Another thing you need to take into consideration is your tax reduction.
Best Car Donation Charities In California
- Kars4Kids: Supports educational, developmental, and recreational programs for children. Visit https://www.kars4kids.org/ for more information.
- Goodwill Car Donations: Funds job training and career development programs. Visit https://www.goodwillcardonation.org/ for information on how to apply.
- Wheels For Wishes: Grants wishes of children with critical illnesses. For information on how to apply, visit https://www.wheelsforwishes.org/ .
- American Diabetes Association: They help to generate funds to treat and cure people with diabetes. After you donate your vehicle, they will then proceed to sell your car in an auction. If your vehicle is not in good condition, they also sell for craps. For more information about them, visit https://diabetes.org/
- Cars for CARE: They are international charity organizations that specify in empowering poor people most especially women and girls. Donating your car to this charity will definitely go a long way in helping people. Their URL is https://www.care.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/cars-for-care/
- Habitat for Humanity: This charity focuses on building houses for homeless people in the US and other parts of the world. They collect car donations and the fund raised will be used to support homeless people visit their website at https://www.habitat.org/emea for more information.
- National Kidney Foundation: They work towards creating awareness about kidney disease. This charity also raises funds to support and aid kidney disease patients. They accept cars as charity and the funds generated will be used for a good course. Their website URL is https://www.kidney.org/
Benefits Of Donating A Car To Charity In California
Aside from freeing yourself from paying for the tax of that old trunk, the feeling of helping the needy is rewarding. Other benefits you stand to enjoy when you donate your car to charity includes:
- Convenience and Ease: Donating your car for charities in California is quite easy and convenient. The process involved is basically done online, or through a phone call. After filling the necessary forms , the charity will then organize a free towing service that picks up your vehicle at your designated location.
- Potential Tax Deductions: Donating a qualified vehicle to a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization in California can grant you an access to tax deduction. It’s recommended to contact a tax professional so as to deduce a means on how to maximize your tax reduction.
- Free Up Space In Your Garage: With one car gone, another one can come in. Giving up your car for charity is a good way to free up some space in your garage.
Conclusion
Donating your car to charity offers many benefits. Tax reduction, free garage space and most especially the feeling of being able to contribute to the progress of humanity, trust me it’s overwhelming. For a smooth and scam free charity donation, ensure you read the guide carefully.