COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Lots of people are talking about the new car donation tax law going into effect on January 1, 2005, industry leaders say car donors and charities alike will still benefit greatly. The change is that taxpayers can no longer estimate, for themselves, the fair market value of their donated vehicle for a write-off of over $500. With a few exceptions that the IRS has yet to clarify, in 2005, deductions over $500 will be capped at what the charity sells your car for and then you'll receive written notification of that sales price from the non-profit.
Some charities that get significant dollars from donated vehicles have been worried that their funding could nose dive, but that's unlikely according to Mark Perleberg, lead auto expert at NADAguides.com, a vehicle information website.
"It boils down to the fact that car donors want to find a home for older vehicles and they want to do it conveniently and easily," said Perleberg. "Most consumers don't want to hand-sell a vehicle that's worth very little money anyway. Besides, donors get peace-of-mind knowing they're helping a good cause. That's why we believe vehicle donations will still be going strong in 2005 and beyond."
Jodi Christy, a resident of Coto De Caza, California and a recent vehicle donor, looked for a simple way to dispose of her older car after it broke down about 50 miles from her house.
"My husband and I were driving home from a weekend trip and our car died," said Christy. "The thought of having to hire a towing company to go pick up the car and take it to a mechanic was out of the question, especially since we had two other cars we use every day."
The service Christy used to donate her car is available online at NADAguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com/). Consumers can click on the "Donate Your Vehicle" tab in the "Resources" section of the website's home page and from there, they can choose between 300 car donation charities. Donors may complete a simple application online or call a live representative on the phone seven days a week to walk them through the donation process. Then, a qualified transportation company will come and pick up the vehicle at the donor's convenience.
Harvard E. "Pete" Palmer, Jr., co-founder of the Vehicle Donation Processing Center, Inc., is sure donors like Jodi Christy -- and services like that offered by NADAguides.com -- will help non-profits continue to receive desperately needed funds.
"Hundreds of thousands of vehicles have been donated through our organization and all our car donors tell us they appreciate our 'one phone call car removal service' and that good feeling they get from helping others," said Palmer. "And help they have -- in the last 8 years our vehicle donation program has provided over 30 million dollars net-net to our charity clients. We're proud of that achievement and we will be working with the new law in an effort to double those results in the next 8 years."
Palmer's sentiments are mirrored by those of Perleberg and Christy.
"Even though the rules for vehicle donations have changed a bit, the fundamental reasons for donating haven't changed," said Perleberg. "Non- profits rely heavily on car donation funds and people across the country feel good knowing they've helped in some way. It's that simple."
"I donated my vehicle to the Polly Klaas Foundation through the service at NADAguides.com and it was really easy," said Christy. "They came and picked it up, I completed a few short documents, I helped a great cause and I got a tax deduction. It doesn't get any better than that."
About NADAguides.com
N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides (nadaguides.com) is the world's largest publisher of vehicle valuations and specification information for new and used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, as well as van conversions, limousines, classic and collectible cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft and manufactured housing. The company's consumer website, nadaguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com/), offers a variety of new and used vehicle services in addition to valuation information. Throughout its 70-year history, N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides has earned the reputation as the recognized authority for vehicle valuations. Its website, nadaguides.com, is the most comprehensive vehicle information resource on the Internet today.