FAQ Car Donations
-
What kind of organization is Cars 4 Causes? Cars 4 Causes® is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports youth education. We are America's 1st vehicle donation charity. We’re experts at turning your vehicle donations into cash for charitable causes. Our staff is friendly, knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions you have about your car donation. So, please contact us by Live Chat or by phone at 888-444-2392. To help you get started, here are some of the most frequently asked questions.
-
What can I donate? Cars, Trucks, Boats, RVs, Motor Homes, Motorcycles, Off Road Vehicles, Heavy Equipment and most other motorized vehicles. We will help you through the process of donating any of these vehicles. If you have any questions regarding donations, please contact us by Live Chat, email us at or call us at 888-444-2392 and speak to one of our friendly donation specialists.
-
Is my vehicle donation tax deductible? Yes! Vehicle donations made to Cars 4 Causes® are eligible to be claimed as a deduction for federal income tax purposes. Everyone's tax situation is different, so consult with your tax professional to determine how you may benefit.
-
How much will my tax write-off be? (How do I determine the value of my donation for IRS purposes?) The amount that you may claim as a tax deduction for income tax purposes is the sale amount of the vehicle. See what Cars 4 Causes® does with your car to get a higher sales price (on average) than other car donation programs.
For more information on tax write-offs, read the IRS information on vehicle donations. Everybody's tax situation is different, so consult with your tax professional to determine how you can benefit.
-
What paperwork do I need to donate a vehicle?
You will need to provide proof of ownership of the vehicle you wish to donate. Even if you do not have a certificate of title or a registration card, we still may be able to accept your donation. Please contact us at 888-444-2392, or via LiveChat to go over the different options that may be available to you.
Examples of items Cars 4 Causes® can use to verify proof of ownership:
Certificate of Title;
Registration Card;
Registration Renewal Notice;
License Plate Number;
Recent Insurance Card;
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN #)
-
Can I donate a vehicle that's not running? Yes! We accept most vehicles running or not. However, we do prefer the vehicle to be intact. Occasionally, we will make an exception depending on the year, make and model of the vehicle.
-
How quickly can you pick up my vehicle? In most cases your car can be picked up within 24 to 48 hours. The vehicle will be picked up by an authorized tow company at no cost to you and taken to one of our sales locations. You also have the option to drop the vehicle off at one of our locations with a scheduled appointment.
-
What does Cars 4 Causes® do with my car? We review and evaluate each donated vehicle to determine which of our sales channels will bring the highest value for your vehicle donation. When it is cost-effective to do so, We make mechanical repairs, detail the cars, and, then advertise them for sale. We use auction houses to sell some of our vehicles that don't warrant repairs and/or are located outside our proprietary sales location areas. However, in such cases, we determine the minimum sales price, not the auction house. Because of this, Cars 4 Causes® receives the highest average return in the industry!
- Am I donating my car directly to charity?
-
Can I share the proceeds with another charity of my choice? Absolutely! To date, we have shared proceeds with more than 15,000 charitable organizations, many of which were selected by donors such as yourself. We are dedicated to offering an avenue for people to contribute and support their interests. You will be donating your vehicle to Cars 4 Causes,® however, our program is unique in that we allow our donors to direct a substantial portion of the proceeds to benefit any qualifying non-profit organization of their choice. If you select an additional charity, 70% of the net sale amount from your donation will be shared with the charity of your choice and the rest will go to support Cars 4 Causes® youth oriented charity programs.
-
Can I share proceeds with an additional charity even if my car is junk? Yes, however in most cases accepting junk cars is a convenience for our donors and a benefit for the environment and, as such, we can only pay your selected charity $25 for such vehicle donations.
-
Can I designate a church or organization not listed on your website? Yes, our Supported Charities Directory illustrates a listing of our donor supported charities and organizations. If you wish to donate to a charity or organization not listed, please specify on the vehicle donation form or directly to a Cars 4 Causes® Donation Specialist by phone, the name of the organization, chapter, department, program, address or any additional information that will help us get your donation to the right cause. If you have any questions please contact us via Live Chat or by phone at 888-444-2392.
-
What percentage does Cars 4 Causes® spend on management and general expenses? As reported on our current IRS Form 990 and in our most recent Audited Financial Statements, 4.6% of our total expenses are spent on management and general expenses.
-
I'm ready to donate. How do I get started? To donate online, simply click on one of the following easy online forms to donate your car or truck, boat, motorcycle or RV (running or non-running).
To donate by phone, call 888-444-2392, and we'll be happy to help!
You may also click on Live Chat to start the donation process and if you give us your phone number we will even call you.
-
Where can I find more information about Cars 4 Causes®? Everything you need to know about Cars 4 Causes® is on our website. Download our IRS Form 990 or our current annual Audited Financial Statements from our Financials Page. Read about us in The News, our Newsletter or Past Story. Get to know our process on our How to Donate or if you have any questions contact us. Try our Live Chat or call us at 888-444-2392. We'll do our best to answer your questions.
-
I've seen offers for a free vacation from other charities. Why doesn't Cars 4 Causes® have this option as well?
Things are not always as they seem. Cars 4 Causes® is committed to getting you the highest tax deduction value from your vehicle donation and the most money for charitable purposes. If you receive a benefit as a result of making a contribution to a qualified organization, you can deduct only the amount of your contribution that is more than the value of the benefit you receive.
For example: You donate a vehicle to charity that ultimately sells for $600 and your receive a week's stay at a beach house on a tropical island. If the value of your donated vehicle is no more than the fair rental value of the beach house, you have not made a deductible charitable contribution.
To summarize, if the value of your car donation is equal to or more than the value of the "free" vacation you receive in return, you could be actually "buying" your "free vacation" by donating your vehicle to that charity, and not qualifying for a vehicle tax deduction.
In addition, the charity that is giving you a "free" vacation must pay money to purchase that item and that expense comes from the money they receive from the sale of your vehicle donation. The cost of that "free" vacation reduces the amount that could otherwise be used for charitable purposes. Always ask for the details before you donate, visit the IRS website for information on vehicle donations and always consult with your tax professional.
-
Isn't it important that the highest percentage of the sale price of my donated vehicle be given to charity?
No! What's important is that the most money (not the highest percentage) from the sale of your donated vehicle is given to charity and that you receive the highest tax deduction value for your donation.
Here's why! Typically, a car sold to a retail buyer will yield a higher price than a vehicle sold wholesale to a dealer or dismantler. And, since Cars 4 Causes repairs donated vehicles, when cost effective to do so in order to sell it to a retail buyer and receive this higher price, the percentage of the total sales price available for charity may be less than if the vehicle had been sold "AS IS" to a wholesale buyer, however, the total dollars available for charity may be higher...and that's what's important!
Here's an example:
A vehicle donated to Cars 4 Causes® is sold to a retail buyer for $2,500. The costs associated with picking up, repairing and selling that vehicle are $1,000, leaving $1,500 available for charity or 60%.
That same vehicle donated to "another" charity is sold "AS IS" (with no repair) to a wholesale buyer for $1,500. The costs associated with picking up and selling that vehicle are $250 (REMEMBER, NO REPAIRS ARE DONE TO THE VEHICLE), leaving $1,250 available for charity or 83%
The "Retail" sale generates $1,500 for charity or 60% of the sales price, while the "Wholesale" sale yields 83% of the sale price for charity, but only $1,250. Which do you think is better, the higher dollars or the greatest percentage?
Here's more! The sales price determines the value of your tax deduction. So in the example above, your tax deduction from the "Retail" sale would be $2,500 where as your tax deduction from the "Wholesale" sale would only be $1,500. The "Retail" sale would give you a greater potential tax savings!
While our example shows you that the "Wholesale" sales yields the higher percentage of the sales price available for charity, the "Retail" sale gives you a greater tax deduction value and the most money for charity. This is why you want to donate your vehicle to Cars 4 Causes®.
So, if you see someone adverting the "highest percentage" to charity, BEWARE! you may not be getting the whole story. Only Cars 4 Causes® has the ability to get the most for you and for charity! It's not about the percentages, it's about the total dollars!
Don't See Your Question?
If you are ready to donate now, just click the DONATE NOW button
or
Chat live or call us toll-free
888-444-2392
and donate today.
