Car Insurance

The Internal Revenue Service allows for many different types of charitable deductions including cash, clothes, goods, and some services. One of the “goods” approved by the IRS that taxpayers may donate is their car. Although the IRS has tightened things up over the past few years, donating a car can benefit a favored charity and help yourself come tax day. Let’s take a look at how your car donation can help you and a recognized charity.

Your six year old Buick LeSabre Custom has stood the test of time, but you have decided to buy a 2007 Buick La Crosse Limited to give yourself a car that is new, up to date, and thoroughly reliable. Your LeSabre saw you through long commutes to work, vacations at the shore, and it was the same car your daughter used to learn how to drive. With 140,000 miles on the odometer you know that the trade in value isn’t going to be that great, so you consider donating the Buick to a charity such as the kidney foundation or to the association of the blind.

The IRS will reward your generosity if you follow certain ground rules:

–The charity must be recognized by the IRS and have 3 status.

–You can only deduct the sale price of the car, not what you think someone might pay for it. Indeed, even though the Buick could possibly fetch more than $5000 if sold privately, you have to list the “gross proceeds” of the resale of the vehicle by the charity. So, if the charity sells your LeSabre for $3700, which is the amount you are allowed to deduct on your income taxes. Your charity of choice will provide written proof of the sale amount to you for your records once the sale has been made.

Just remember if you get to deduct $3700 that doesn’t mean your taxes will drop by that amount. Depending on your tax bracket and what you owe the Internal Revenue Service and other deductions, you probably will save yourself a few hundred dollars per year. Of course, your motive for giving should be based in part on helping a charity not just receiving a decent deduction.

So, although the IRS has tightened up the rules concerning donating a car it can still be an important fund raising tool for charities while allowing you to receive a tax deduction and the joy of helping someone out in their time of need.

Look around the yard, do you have an old car you want to or should get rid of? Is the car just taking up precious space and slowly deteriorating from lack of maintenance and proper care because you don’t need it? Then for you a charitable car donation may be worth more than using the car as a trade-in or in any other way. If you decide to donate a car and the car donation is accepted, the charity arranges for and takes care of any towing expenses and provides you with the necessary documents for your tax return.

Donating a car eliminates the expense of any advertising, the loss of privacy and possible security risk from potential buyers. No need to pay for annual vehicle registration and/or emissions testing or insurance, and no need for any repairs to keep your car in running condition while you wait for a buyer. It’s easy, just fill out the forms the charity gives you and have them ready for the driver when he comes to pick up the car. A large chunk of your donation money when it’s received by the charity after they sell the vehicle, should not taken out for administrative fees or investments. Make sure to find out how much of your donation money goes for these fees.

Your car, truck, RV, boat, aircraft or other vehicle is usually marketed by the charity through various means including their own car lots and middlemen and sold to a buyer who is in need of a good used vehicle. If you’re thinking about donating your automobile to charity, be sure to check out thoroughly the charity or car donation program that handles the donation. Certain commercial firms and trade organizations publish guides known as ‘blue books,’ that state the average resale prices based on the model and year of your vehicle. You can find these blue books at your library in the reference section or online.

If your auto, truck, boat, motorcycle, RV or other vehicle is no longer of use to you, it can still go a long way toward helping support a reputable charity of your choice. Best of all, by not selling the car yourself, you don’t have to worry or wonder about total strangers calling you and getting information about where you live, or coming to your house to see the car or other vehicle.

Charities don’t need to send you a form for cars that eventually sell for less than $500, but you’ll still be able to deduct up to $500 on your tax return.

If it’s necessary to go through a car donation program middleman, which you can find online, find out what percentage of your donation will go to charity and shop around for the best deal. There are a quite a few of them online.

As for your benefits, you as the donor of the car benefits by receiving a tax receipt for the highest possible value of the vehicle.

Make sure you have easy access to the title of the vehicle. If you have an unused vehicle just sitting around, you never know when a storm might cause damage to your vehicle or if it might get vandalized or if it’s on the street get involved in an accident. Some charities that run their own program, instead of hiring a program middleman, are discriminating about which vehicles they will accept, repair and materially improve. They sell most of their vehicles at retail prices. One thing to note, your vehicle must have all four of its tires inflated to be accepted.

Important, one of the exceptions to the new IRS tax regulations allows donors to still deduct the fair market value of their vehicle, provided the charity materially improves the vehicle. Charities usually provide you with a release of liability when they take your vehicle away. After the car sells, they send you a tax-deduction form that explains how much they received for your car.

Charities look at car donations from both the point of view of the donor of the car and of themselves. You can get a car donation tax deduction up to the maximum limits allowed by the IRS. You may also donate your car online to individual charities or through the car donation programs, some of which contract with charities.

It used to be that you could deduct the fair market value of the vehicle at the time of the deduction - but not anymore. In wear and tear, minor repairs and breakdowns, an average vehicle owner might spend more than $3000 per year so a good reason not to keep the extra car around. In the end the donor is responsible to an extent to ascertain the value of their car after discussing it with the charity.

A charity car donation is becoming more common as people discover the nice tax deduction that is available. Choosing the best charity for your car can be overwhelming and you want to make sure your choice is the best and right choice for you. Why not donate your car, truck, boat, RV, motorcycle or even aircraft today and enjoy a nice tax deduction on your annual income tax return.

You want to donate your car and take advantage of the car to donate for tax deduction, but it seems really confusing trying to figure out this deduction. Don’t worry you aren’t alone. The two main things you need to know when it comes to donating a car for tax deduction is that the actual amount depends on the person who is donating and their claim as to the value of the car, but also on the way the charity puts the car to use. There is one other thing you should know about the car to donate for tax deduction. If the car happens to be worth more than $500 and the charity decides to sell the car that may affect the limit of the person applying for the car to donate for tax reduction and the limit to the access on the gross profits from the charities sale.

Wanting to get the most out of the car to donate for tax deduction requires some knowledge on the matter. There are a few points that may be significant in how well you will benefit.

The first thing to know is that you need to be able to verify the eligibility of the organization that you are donating to. A library or Publication 78, which is an online resource, can help you pinpoint the charities that qualify to be used to take advantage of the car to donate for tax rebates. This will save you time and effort in the long run.

You also must remember that when it comes to claiming the car to donate for tax deduction you must itemize your deduction. You can no longer just stick to the standard deduction. To be able to fully maximize your advantages you must itemize.

A good place to look is a used-car buying guide; these are invaluable at determining the fair market value of the car in question. Being able to correctly determine this will help you maximize the amount of your car to donate for the purposes of tax reduction. Once you have correctly estimated the fair market value, deduct it. Unfortunately this is all you can, not the full value. When applying for the car to donate for tax deduction you must also file a Charitable Contribution Deduction. As well as this you must be immaculate in keeping records of all your receipts and forms. This will help you to achieve the most from the car to donate for tax reduction.

If you own a car and it is just sitting in your garage or driveway collecting dust, you should think about donating the car for a good cause. Car donation is something very new to a lot of people and many are unaware that it is even possible. Most people simply sell of their unused car at a dirt cheap price or take it to the junkyard for disposal. Why sell your car for pittance or scrap it for metal when you can donate the car to help people who are really in need of one?

You may now know this, but there are a lot of good things associated with donating a car. Even if your car is not in perfect working condition and has some defects you can still donate it because it might be of no value to you but to someone out there, it is priceless. With just some minor repairs you vehicle could be running again in no time. Besides that, if you decide to donate, all you have to do is make a phone call to you nearest donation center and they will come to pick up the donation. If your vehicle is not in working order, they will take care of the towing charges. Hence, there is no hassle involve, just a phone call away.

Donation centers are very helpful and they will bring all the paperwork for you to sign which is very minimal in any case. Before you know it, you will have extra space in your garage or your driveway where your unused vehicle used to be. The free space can be then be used for better things that are productive and fulfilling instead.

Donating a can also help with your taxes as it can be used as a large IRS tax deduction. This is one of the best reasons to donate and most people are not aware of this. Hence, besides having some extra space and doing a good deed, your tax statement will also look better with the tax deduction.

Your donation may go to a family that dreams of having a car to take them around or the organization may use your donation for charitable causes like delivering food, clothes or furniture. All in all, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your donated vehicle goes a long way and will be put to good use instead of just sitting idly collecting dust.

In order to find a charity organization that accepts car donations, you can do a search online or in the yellow pages to locate one nearest to your home. Most charitable organizations would be more than happy to accept your donation. If you have problems finding an organization near your area, look for ones outside of town and chances are they will be rushing to collect your donation from you.

As a conclusion, if you own a car and are no longer using it, do consider donation. The benefits are endless and you will gain peace of mind and it is guaranteed to a put a smile on your face every time you think of your vehicle being used for charitable cause.

ASK most young people what the latest CD is by Nelly or Jay-Z and they not only can tell you the names of the music CDs, but they can also rap the lyrics to each song. But ask the same young people to explain the other type of CD, the money CD, and the answers won’t come so readily.

Contrary to what a lot of young people think, a financial CD doesn’t rap and can’t be bought at Tower Records. A certificate of deposit, as you may know, is a major financial instrument sold in banks and by brokers. Almost all financial experts say young people, especially young Black people, should know more about them and more about other ways to invest.

The teaching should start early. Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Mutual Funds, based in Chicago, says, “If your daughter loves Barbie, talk to her about buy’rog Mattel shares or give her gifts of Mattel shares for her birthday.” It’s helpful for children and young adults to see how their own buying translates into profit, she says. Even if they are investing in a toy company, they should really invest, not just watch how the stock does over time.

Stocks are the best investment for children because they are in it for the long haul and can ride out the ups and downs of the stock market. If a parent purchases $1,000 in a small company’s stock at a 12 percent return when their child is 10 years old, that stock will be worth $2,048,000 by the time their son or daughter is 65 because, in addition to earning interest, the money doubles every five years, Hobson says.

Another way to invest money is with U.S. Savings Bonds that can be bought at a discount for denominations starting at $25. Though their interest rate varies, interest earned on bonds is tax-exempt. They can be cashed in six months after purchase or saved for up to 30 years.

Parents can also create a 401(k) plan for their children, similar to what companies offer employees by giving an allowance of say $5 for doing chores and then putting a match of another $5 into an investment account.

Opening a mutual fund account, called a Uniform Gift to Minors, is one way to invest and save on taxes because the account is in your child’s name.

And don’t forget CDs, which are another way of saving for the future. However, CDs are conservative, earning less interest than investing in the stock market. “CDs are for people who want to be sure they preserve their principal and don’t want to put their savings at risk,” Hobson says. “It’s good for saving for a down payment on a house, but the interest rates are just above inflation.”

Who says IRAs are just for people near retirement age? Parents can open an IRA account for their offspring as soon as they show that their child is earning money from any source, including an allowance. Parents can save up to $3,000 per year.

So you’re not ready to open a bank account or invest in stocks or CDs for junior? Try using a color-coded bank at home to help your son or daughter learn to manage money. Each color on the bank represents a different use for that section. For example, the green area is for quick cash, like for buying candy. The yellow part is for saving for something special, like a video game. The red section is money for investments, and not to be touched. Or one of the sections can be used to donate to charities. Hobson says, “It’s a way for children to think long term about money and also to create that long-term perspective on saving.”

One father, Kenneth Stone, helped his daughter, Carrie, and son, Keith, develop a long-term perspective on saving when he taught them to save their allowance to buy things they wanted.

Stone, the president of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, also set a good example by saving all the money they would need for college through his job’s deferred compensation plan.

Stashing money away before it’s spent is a good idea, but only if it’s put in a safe place. This money-managing father tells his children not to put all their eggs in one basket, but to diversify their holdings. Stone suggests they invest 10 percent of their gross income, placing one-third in a high-risk growth stock such as a new-venture company with growth potential that doesn’t pay dividends, one-third in an income-producing stock such as a utility company that can afford to pay dividends, and one-third in their employers’ stock.

Stone has made enough successful investments–such as the land he bought that doubled in Value in four years–to start his son and daughter off with enough money to pay their first year of rent and give them each a car when they graduated from college. And that’s a lot more rewarding than a stack of music CDs.