car charity

Salvation Army donation kettle. Photographer: Bradley C Bower/Bloomberg News. Americans gave  $358.38 billion in 2014 , a 7.1% increase from 2013, and equivalent to a whopping 2% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The majority of that giving, $258.51 billion, came from individuals, representing 72% of all charitable donors. Making a charitable donation is not only a chance to make a difference: it's also an excellent way to reduce your tax burden for the year. The tax benefit is considered a compelling reason for making charitable deductions: more than two-thirds of high-net-worth donors said  they would decrease their giving  if they did not receive a corresponding tax deduction. A tax deduction for charitable giving isn't guaranteed just because you're feeling generous. As with everything in tax law, it's important to follow the rules. With that in mind, here are 11 tips for making your charitable donation count: Itemize.  In order to cl...

It's easy to donate a car to charity if all you want to do is get rid of it. Simply call a charity that accepts old vehicles, and it will tow your heap away. But if you want to maximize your tax benefits, it's more complicated. Here's a walk through some of the considerations, with the usual proviso that you should discuss these issues with your tax preparer before you act. You must itemize your return If you want to claim a car donation to reduce your federal income taxes, you must itemize deductions. You could itemize even if the donated auto is your only deduction, but that's usually not the best choice. Here's the math: Suppose you're in the 28% tax bracket and the allowable deduction for the vehicle's donation is $1,000. That will save you $280 in taxes. If you're in the 15% tax bracket and you get that same $1,000 deduction, it will reduce your taxes by $150. If the car donation is your only deduction, it's likely that taking ...

If you've been on the Internet lately you've seen a million of these posts about facts that seem wild but are actually true. Almost none of these are about cars (I mean, do you really care that President  Ronald regan's  grandson is alive?) so we've tried to fix that. 9.) The Ford GT's roof is so strong, it broke the crushing machine Fair enough, the GT's chassis can certainly take much more than the stock power, but Ford  is no TVR , so it's hard to image they couldn't afford tougher test machinery. 8.) Retractable hardtops were introduced by Peugeot in 1934 Modern cars  have extremely complicated hardtops  that can open in a few seconds, but the idea itself is nothing new. Peugeot introduced it in the 601 Éclipse six years before Hitler started his invasion of France. 7.) GM sold a Subaru as a Saab For many of us this is a well-known fact, but non car people will be surprised to learn that the 2005 and 2006 Saab...

1. Avoid Middlemen Numerous for-profit intermediary organizations advertise aggressively on TV, billboards and elsewhere, offering to help you donate your vehicle to charity. Here’s the catch: These organizations typically keep about 50 percent to 90 percent of the vehicle’s value for themselves, and the charities don’t get what they could have gotten. To prevent this, check directly with charities you admire and find out whether they accept car or boat donations. 2. Find a worthy charity If the charities you normally support aren’t equipped to accept such donations, do some homework until you find a reputable charity that is. You can research charities’ track records online at this Better Business Bureau site and through Charity Navigator. 3. Check the math If you still feel compelled to use an intermediary organization – possibly because you’re busy – at least ask the organization how much of the car or boat’s value will go to charity. If the organization simply gives charit...