This post was sponsored by DAV. All opinions are my own.
If more people knew how easy and beneficial it is to donate a car, I know more people would do it. Aside from being a difficult sacrifice, it’s really a simple procedure that helps everyone involved!
Why Donate a Car?
If it’s never even occurred to you to donate a car, you may wonder why you should even consider it. Here are a few of the most compelling reasons people choose to give a vehicle to charity.
To Reduce Expenses
It may seem counterintuitive that giving away something of value can save you money, but very often this is one of the main factors in leading someone to donate their car.
Vehicles are expensive to own and maintain. For each vehicle you own you have to pay for registration, insurance, regular maintenance, and in some locations, inspection fees.
Where are my fellow parents of teen drivers? At one point we had four kids who were old enough to drive but still in school so we had several vehicles to cover. I’m thrilled to be at the point where we can finally start getting rid of those extra expenses!
In addition, to keep a vehicle in good working condition, you need to drive it occasionally so simply storing it to avoid the aforementioned fees can actually cost you more in the long run when you decide to pull it out of storage and need to get it in shape again.
Reduce Tax Burden
One benefit of donating an old vehicle is to get the tax deduction. You can deduct the vehicle’s fair market value up to $500. If the charity sells your car for more than $500, you can deduct the full sales price.
Of course, you could pocket all the profits of selling the car yourself. But then you have to put in the time and effort to prepare the car to sell, list it, and negotiate with prospective buyers. When you donate it, the charity takes on all that work.
Positive Impact
Another great benefit of donating an unused or unneeded automobile to charity is that you get to experience the magic of transforming something that has no value (to you) into something that has the potential to be of great value to others.
Much like random acts of kindness, a small, insignificant effort on your part has the potential to create a ripple effect of positivity.
Help the brave men and women who served by donating any car, truck, RV or boat to DAV—and you could qualify for a tax deduction at the same time.
Donating is a great way to get rid of an old or extra vehicle. Avoid the cost and hassle of repairing or selling a car you no longer need or want.
Currently trying to talk my husband into parting with the Crown Victoria (below with my daughter behind the wheel) that 3 of our 5 kids learned to drive in since the repairs are outpacing the value of the car.
How to Donate a Car
- You simply go to their site Car4DAV.com and submit the form or call them at 844-440-4267 (any day of the week!)
- You choose the day and time for them to come and pick up the vehicle (they work around your schedule!)
More About DAV
Aside from how easy DAV makes it to donate your car, here are some other reasons I recommend them if you’re trying to decide which organization to donate your vehicle to.
First of all, they accept more than just cars. They’ll accept cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles, trailers, boats, campers, off-road vehicles, heavy equipment, and most other motorized vehicles.
They’ll even take them if they aren’t running! As long as a tow truck can get to the car and it’s able to be towed, they’ll accept your donation.
Even better, you don’t have to wait weeks and weeks. Once you’ve scheduled your donation, they will usually pick it up within 72 hours.
Finally, I mentioned that DAV supports veterans but let me explain how. They use their funds to:
- Help veterans find employment
- Educate others about veterans and how to help them transition to post-military life
- Lobby on Capitol Hill for veterans interests
- Work to help veterans and their families access all the benefits available to them
Essentially, they do everything they can to help veterans and their families recover from the sacrifices and hardships of military life so they can enjoy a less stressful civilian life after their service to their country. Learn more at www.dav.org.
I like how you pointed out the benefits you can get when donating a car, like dodging the hassle of a needless vehicle.
We plan to donate our old car, and we want to make sure that we are doing the right thing.
I’m glad I came across your article and learned the benefits I may get when donating the unused vehicle instead of selling it.
Thank you very much for letting me know my article was helpful, I appreciate it. Also, thank you for donating your old car to help others.