?Ten Reasons to Donate Autos to Your Church or Religious Organization
There are many reasons to donate autos or boats to your church or religious organization, as long as it’s recognized as being a legitimate non-profit venture by the IRS. Some of these reasons are more tangible than others, but hardly less real to those who feel compelled to do good works. Even when you donate an auto to a faith-based community service organization affiliated with a church be sure to be honest with yourself first of all – the quality of the donation is dependent upon the quality of the donated auto in question.
1) You know someone in your church who really needs a car, and you’re in a position to donate an auto that requires only a small amount of work.
If you’ve been a member of a congregation for a long time, odds are you know a few people who’ve gotten down on their luck. Instead of giving the car to them directly, if you arrange it through the church, then there will be no gift taxes to pay and you’ll be able to deduct the whole “fair value” amount. This is usually best if the car is already in good working order.
2) The youth group needs a van for their upcoming fishing trip and you have one you’re sick of putting gas into now that the kids are off at college.
Just because you don’t have a use for a large vehicle anymore doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t. Such donated autos are especially useful for team sports or camping trips. Vans that are setup with benches and room for a whole pile of kids are perfect for this donation use. Parochial schools are always on the lookout for these if they don’t already have one or the current model is on its last legs.
3) Your old car runs reasonably well and you’re sure someone in the church can use the car rather than it being sold for auction.
Since you presumably have the ear of someone in the church office, you can find out what the congregational need for cars is at any given time, ensuring that there’s a good fit for your donated auto out there. Remember, you’re able to get far more deduction benefit if there’s a real need for your vehicle rather than a future sale, especially on the wholesale market.
4) One of the deacons is an auto repair expert and you want the kids to have a project for the summer to keep them out of trouble.
Of course, you’ll want to clear this with the deacon in question, but the goal of a donated auto sale is enough to keep several kids from running wild all summer while they’re learning a useful skill, and that’s invaluable.
5) You’ll feel very holy as a result.
The IRS can’t put a value on that.
6) You may donate as a type of self-imposed penance.
You can really put the icing on that cake by donating the money you save on your returns to the church or the charity of your choice in addition to the donated auto.
7) Your gift may inspire others to donate to a larger “Donated Auto Day” to buy a new organ or outfits for the choir.
Regardless of what the proceeds will buy, if you have a vested interest in the outcome of what the proceeds are to be spent upon, the idea of maximizing your deduction with donated autos isn’t nearly as important, especially if you’re using standardized deductions anyhow.
8) That woman down the street did it….
Hey, that’s not a very pure motivation! Of course, it’s also a very popular one with donated autos or just about anything else.
9) Your yard is breeding old cars faster than you bore your nine children – it’s time to find all the extras new homes as donated autos, and you don’t care how.
The church will often have the use of a tow truck, and it’s good to just make junk go away at a certain point, regardless of the tax benefit.
10) Your church is the only charity you trust.
That’s up to you, but all qualifying religious and non-profit organizations are equal in the eyes of the IRS.
You may be beholden to render unto Caesar what is Causer’s, but there’s no need not to keep what is yours, donated autos and all, within your community of choice.
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Auto Diesel/24_donate auto.txt
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