text: Three Things You Must Do To Prepare Your Vehicle For Donation - humanitarian services helping the elderly
  5 April 2016 by Bill Beck
  If you're a car owner who has made the decision to donate an old car to charity instead of selling or junking it, you have to prepare the car and yourself before sending the car over. While charities will do what they can to fix up the car, it's good to do what you can to get the car into shape. You also have to be sure you know how the donation will affect you in the coming months. Here are three things you must do to ensure a smooth car donation.
  Clean out the Car -- Completely
  Once you donate the car, it's completely out of your hands, and if you leave anything in the car, you're not likely to get it back. In addition to the obvious places to look for belongings, like the trunk and the gove compartment. Ensure you check all of the pockets that may be on the backs of the seats, all of the compartments hidden in the center console, all of the little cubbyholes and ashtrays on the dashboard, and any pockets in the visors. Check the rearview mirror, too, if you have small charms hanging up there. Remove magnetic bumper decals, too.
  Decide Before You Donate if You'll Claim a Deduction
  Car donations are tax deductible if you use itemized deductions. If you normally use the standard deduction, however, you'll have to decide if the value of the car is enough to warrant taking itemized deductions. To find the value, you need to know what the charity is going to do with the car first, whether they plan to resell it or use it. If they sell it, you need to find the resale value of the car. If they plan to use it, you need to have the car appraised to find the fair market value.
  Determine the DMV Paperwork
  Once you get rid of the car, you'll need to notify your state's department of motor vehicles. If you don't, and something happens to the car, like an accident, the department could still have you on record as the owner. That could make you liable for damages stemming from the accident. But before you donate the car, be sure you know what the charity has to do as well. Sometimes they have to send in forms, too, and you want to be sure that the charity you deal with will take care of those forms.
  Calling charities and vehicle donation services beforehand is best. You'll get a chance to ask them about their donation process and what you and they would have to do to successfully transfer the car. You can also take this chance to find out how they determine what will happen to the car after they receive it.