Car Donation in San Jose

Do you have an old rust bucket car sitting in your garage or driveway?  Why deal with the eyesore of an old vehicle that does nothing but take up space?  There is a solution to your problem, and it's easier than you think. 

Donating your car to charity is a great way to get rid of an unwanted vehicle and help others at the same time.  You can even write it off on your income taxes.  Donating a car is easy if you just follow a few simple steps.  The best part is, it won't cost you a dime. 

The first thing to do when donating a car is to choose a charity you want to donate to.  Not all charities are able to accept donated vehicles, so you may need to do some searching for one that can.  Goodwill is a popular charity that accepts all kinds of donated vehicles.  After you have found a charity to take your donation, make arrangements with them to get them your car.  Many charities use a towing service to come pick up and process your vehicle for them.  Be careful to avoid companies that act as middlemen when it comes to your donated car.  In many cases, these companies keep a percentage of the profits from your car when it should really all be going to the charity.  By contacting the charity directly, you can find out how to donate your car while allowing them to keep 100 percent of the funds from it.

After you have chosen a charity to donate your car to, they will usually arrange to have your car picked up.  The car does not have to be in running condition and you do not have to be present when the car is taken, you simply have to leave the keys and title with the vehicle.  Most charities that take car donations have towing companies pick up the cars.  Once the car is hauled away, you are no longer responsible for it as you are no longer the owner.  After the car is towed away, it is taken to a processing center where it will be prepared to be sold to the public.  Many donated cars are sold at auctions to the highest bidder.  The money made from the sale of the car then goes to the charity you have chosen to receive your donation.  This is also a great way for people looking for a low-cost vehicle to get one.  If a car cannot be sold because it is just too old or is deemed to be unsafe, it is scrapped and sold for parts.  Car donation processors will do what they can to sell the car since junking a car takes more time and effort that simply selling it does. 

Even though the joy of giving should be enough to make you want to donate your car, there are also other benefits to doing so.  Any vehicle you donate to charity is eligible for a tax write-off.  Before you can do so, the car must be sold and you will need to receive written proof of the sale to include in your tax return.  Whatever the vehicle sells for is the amount that you can write off on your taxes.  You can deduct a minimum of $500 on your return no matter what the car sells for.  If your car sells for less than $500, you can write off it's estimated value as long as it does not exceed the $500 amount.

There are several charities in San Jose, California that are able to process vehicle donations.  There are Church and Charity Car Donation Centers, the Catholic Charities of Santa Clarita County, Bay Area Charity Car Donation and others.  Many charities that take donated cars will also take other vehicles such as boats, farm equipment, planes, you name it.  If you do plan on donating some type of vehicle, be sure to check with them to see what they can actually take.  Donating a vehicle is a great way to help others.  You'll feel good about yourself knowing that you did a good deed to help the community.  Check your local charities to see where to take your car today.