Donating a car to charity? You might want to pump the brakes
KEY POINTS
- Donating a automobile could be one of many least cost-effective ways to aid a charity, says industry knowledgeable.
- The car-donation industry is riddled with fraud and deception, with multiple states investigating outfits for false promoting and self-dealing.
- These eight ideas will help donors shield themselves whereas trying to help out others.
Pondering of donating your clunker to charity for a nice tax deduction? Proceed with caution.
The gifting of used vehicles to “charities” has become a favourite manner for Americans to eliminate unwanted automobiles. And why not? You can keep away from the headache of promoting or junking the car, help a charitable trigger and lower your tax burden all on the identical time.
Unfortunately, the experience is rarely, in reality, such a win-win scenario. Not only do charities usually see little of the proceeds from a used automobile sale, but donors can run afoul of the taxman if they’re not cautious.
“At the end of the day, donating a used automobile could be the least cost-effective approach to give to a charity,” mentioned Stephanie Kalivas, an analyst with CharityWatch, a corporation that displays the charitable giving business.
The problem is the business is riddled with fraud and misrepresentation. Attorneys General from multiple states have investigated automobile donation charities for false advertising and self-dealing. Lots of the organizations are for-profit intermediaries that give token contributions to a collaborating charity. Others misrepresent the trigger they support and/or give low percentages of their funds raised to their acknowledged targets.
Kars4Kids, for instance, a New Jersey-based organization with an insipid but extremely successful advertising jingle, has obtained more than 450,000 automotive donations, in line with its web site. The organization, nonetheless, obtained a D score from CharityWatch because it distributes less than 50 % of the cash it takes in and since, regardless of a national promoting campaign, it fails to adequately disclose that the money goes to benefit Jewish children only, and virtually completely within the New York/New Jersey space.
“They are not clear about what they do,” Kalivas stated. “Lots of these organizations mislead the public, and people need to be cautious.”
Wendy Kirwan, director of public relations for Kars4Kids, mentioned the costs of marketing and working the car-donation program are high however that because the group processes donations in-house, extra money goes to its charitable work than others who use third events. She additionally stated that whereas the catchy advertising jingle does not spell out which kids benefit from the charity, the knowledge is available on their web site kars4kids.org. “That is an innovative strategy to support charity in a way that helps the charity and the donors,” said Kirwan. “A lot of people would not in any other case be donating to charity if it wasn’t with their car.”
For folks solely trying to eliminate an undesirable automotive for which they won’t take a tax deduction, it could not appear to matter what occurs to the vehicle and who advantages. Kalivas, nevertheless, means that charities could be significantly better off if folks bought their cars themselves and donated the proceeds, or just called up charities they know to search out out if they’ve automobile donation programs.
If the automobile in query is effective and you propose to take a deduction for it, shield your self. Individuals donating cars can inadvertently mark themselves with big crimson flag for Internal Revenue Service auditors.
When donating a car, here are eight key things you need to think about to maximise the advantages to charity and minimize the risk to your self.
1. Analysis the charity you propose to offer it to. If it would not have 501(c)(3) non-profit status with the IRS, it is not a charity and your donation is not tax-deductible.
2. Choose environment friendly charities to present to. There are multiple organizations equivalent to CharityWatch that evaluate charities and charge them for effectivity in supporting their causes.
3. Itemize. To take a tax deduction for a car donation, you have to itemize deductions on your return. There are detailed guidelines concerning the amount you can claim. Taxpayers can deduct the full market value of a donated automotive under three circumstances: The charity uses the automobile in its operations; it materially improves the vehicle to sell or use it; or the charity donates or sells it to a needy individual for under market value. Otherwise, you possibly can only deduct what the charity receives as proceeds from promoting the automotive.
4. Get a receipt. Make certain to get a receipt from the charity for the automobile and finally a document certifying how a lot the car was offered for. Charities are required to offer that doc within 30 days of selling the automobile.
5. Do not forget IRS kind 8283. If the sale price or honest market worth of the automobile is bigger than $500, it’s a must to full section A of IRS form 8283 and file it together with your tax return. Consult the Kelley Blue Guide, the Hearst Black Guide or National Auto Sellers Association for market values. If the automobile is worth more than $5,000, you have to get an impartial appraisal of it and likewise full Section B of Kind 8283.
6. Drop it off. If the automobile is road-worthy, drive it yourself to the charity you’re donating to. It saves money and ensures you’re not giving the car to some unrelated, for-profit intermediary. Be sure to sign over the title of the automobile to the group and that a representative signs it, as nicely. If somebody is picking the automobile up, have them signal the title and take a photocopy of it. Folks have been on the hook for liabilities on donated automobiles that weren’t properly signed over to a brand new proprietor.
7. Snap it. Take footage of the car and preserve receipts for work and repairs performed on it — notably when you’re claiming a deduction for it.
8. Read up. Read IRS publication 4303 — A Donor’s Information to Automotive Donations.
— By Andrew Osterland, special to CNBC.com
