Are you fed up with your car or thinking about giving an old vehicle to some charity? If so, you should make your car ready for this. Although different charitable organizations have different guidelines for accepting vehicles as a charity, some basic rules are necessary for you to remember while donating a car.
Take care of the following things before going into it:
Know the requirements of your charity
Every charity has different requirements from another. So, it is good to collect a checklist from your charity regarding a vehicle’s repairs, paperwork, insurance, etc. Ask them what type of vehicles they accept. Depending upon the condition of a vehicle, many charities are open to receive trucks, vans, trailers, and even boats also.
Go for a Proper Maintenance
Some charities sell old vehicles instead of their parts or they give them to some needy person. So, it is essential to check all the parts of your vehicle such as the engine, wipers, windows, doors, handles, seats, battery, lights, etc. Send it to some repairing shop for complete maintenance before giving it to them.
Keep it Neat and Clean
A dirty or stained car with filth is difficult to accept by any charity. In fact, many charities do not include the cleaning process of a vehicle in their policy. So, as per their requirements, take your car for standard cleaning and make sure it gets free from all stains, bruises, odors, etc.
Complete Paperwork Carefully
It is important for you to collect all mandatory papers associated with your car. Apart from the title and insurance, make sure you present them with the accidental history of the vehicle also, if any. Check whether your charity accepts the vehicles with liens on them or not. For example, while donating to Goodwill like organizations, anyone can visit their website or call them to get information regarding this or other matters related to a vehicle donation. However, donation depends upon the needs and goals of both a donor and receiver. Charitable organization works as an intermediary in them.
Hang all the keys in a single ring
For the convenience of a charity as well as for yourself, it is good to hang all the keys including a remote key fob in a single ring. Hand over them to the charity with paperwork. If there is a number key or any other way of unlocking a drawer or small locker inside the vehicle, explain to them the method of unlocking it also.
Take Out All Your Personal Belongings
Remove all your articles or belongings inside and outside of the car. Check the dashboard, seat pockets, drawers, inside the mats properly. Remove the number plate, nameplate, sticker, or any other sign of your identity.
As all these things are essential to remember, it is also important to collect a receipt of your donation after handing over the key to them. It will help you get to qualify for the federal tax deduction. Try to know their policies to have an idea regarding the way of using or reselling a donated car.
You can also ask their process of towing a vehicle as many of them, for your convenience, provide free towing services also. When you get acquainted with the needs and guidelines of a charity, it becomes easy for you to go through the whole process of donation without any difficulty. In the end, the goals of a donor, charitable organization, and beneficiary should be fulfilled properly.