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The following list of frequently asked questions
(FAQ's) will help you learn more about the Goodwill
Columbus Auto Auction.
If your question is not answered here, please e-mail
us at giveauto@gwcols.com
, or call 614-444-AUTO(2886).
 Why
should I donate a vehicle to Goodwill Columbus?
What
percentage of the proceeds from the sale of my vehicle will go to Goodwill  programs?
How
will my vehicle be used?
Does
my car have to be running to donate?
What
type of vehicles are accepted?
Do
you provide a free home pickup service?
I've
heard that some for-profit companies are disguising themselves behind nonprofit-sounding
names. How can I be sure that I'm donating my car to a legitimate
charity?
What
do I do after I donate?
How
much is my vehicle worth as an itemized tax deduction?
How
do I transfer my Vehicle Title?
What if I have an out of state title?
Why should I donate a vehicle to
Goodwill Columbus?
When you donate your car to Goodwill Columbus, you don't have the hassles of selling
your car and having strangers come to your home. You also don't need to haggle for
a trade-in value on your car. We provide free towing
When a person
donates a vehicle to
Goodwill Columbus for which the claimed value
is $500 or more, the precise deduction he/she
can claim will be
equal to the gross proceeds we receive from the sale
of the vehicle. Goodwill will send you a letter
after the vehicle is sold, telling you the amount we
received for your vehicle.
The donor can attach a copy of that letter to your
return for proof of donation.. Other than the convenience
and tax deduction, your donation is helping us help individuals with disabilities
get jobs. Donating to Goodwill Columbus is the easiest way there is to do something
good for individuals in your community.
What percentage of the proceeds from
the sale of my vehicle will go to Goodwill programs?
After paying a flat fee for towing, title work and auction services, we receive 100
percent of the resale of every donated vehicle. This money is used to fund our employment,
job training and placement programs as well as our MR/DD programs. We provide people
with disabilities and other barriers throughout the central Ohio area opportunities
to learn skills and find jobs.
How will my vehicle be used?
All vehicles donated to Goodwill are resold at our Goodwill Columbus Auto Auction
with the proceeds used to fund our workforce development programs and MR/DD programs.
Does my car have to be running to
donate?
No, your car does not need to be in running condition. While we can not accept vehicles
that are fire damaged, we do accept most vehicles.
What type of vehicles are accepted?
We accept automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, campers and boats on trailers.
Do you provide a free home pickup
service?
Yes, we do provide a pick-up service if needed.
I've heard that some for-profit companies
are disguising themselves behind nonprofit-sounding names. How can I be sure that
I'm donating my car to a legitimate charity?
This is a very good question and we recommend you ask a lot of questions. Goodwill
Columbus was established in 1939 and provides services and programs to individuals
in the central Ohio community only. The proceeds from the auto auction stay right
here in central Ohio and benefit individuals with disabilities and other barriers
to employment. Below, are some questions that you may want to ask when donating your
car:
Is the organization's name
familiar or is it a name that just doesn't sound quite right?
Is the organization local?
Is the organization an
IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit? If they answer yes, ask for their federal
identification number.
Do they have a web site?
What happens to the vehicle
after it is donated?
What percentage of the
vehicle's proceeds actually goes toward mission work?
Is the mission work local
or in another state or country?
Is the title signed over
to the charity's name?
What do I do after I donate?
You will receive a donation receipt once you sign the title over to Goodwill Columbus.
Please take a "copy" of the donation receipt, your license tags and registration to
BMV as soon as possible to de-register the car. Once it's de-registered, call your
insurance company to cancel coverage (they might want a copy of the donation receipt,
too). Further documentation you'll want to keep is listed in the following answer.
(Note: If applicable, government regulations require owners to remove all military
installation decals and other special access decals "before" a car is sold, traded
or donated.)
How much is my vehicle worth as an
itemized tax deduction?
Per
IRS Publication 561, all nonprofit organizations are prohibited from assigning
values or estimates to material goods donations. That means the donor must determine
the vehicle's fair market value, which, in general, is how much you would pay for
the same vehicle in a used car lot or through a private owner sale.
You should take several photographs of the vehicle before donating to document the
car's condition. We will also have you sign an Odometer Disclosure Statement that
can help verify the vehicle's condition. Keep the photographs, your Goodwill donation
receipt and your vehicle's maintenance records for several years following the donation.
We will also provide you with an IRS Form 8283 -- required for all material donations
with a value in excess of $500 -- which must be attached to your tax return. Keep
a copy of that tax return with your other documentation.
If you believe your vehicle is worth more than $5,000, the IRS requires a professional
appraisal, but anyone can have a professional appraisal done on his or her vehicle
regardless of its value. The IRS loves professional appraisals because it takes individual
"best guess work" out of the process. The nominal cost of the appraisal may also be
deductible as a miscellaneous expense. (See appraisers in the automobile section of
the Yellow Pages.)
More IRS guidelines for charitable contributions can be found at their web site at
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=106990,00.htmlor
by calling toll-free 1-800-829-1040.
What if I have an out of state title?
We can only accept state of Ohio titles. If you have an out of state title, you will need to go to the nearest Bureau of Motor Vehicles office and get it transferred to an Ohio title before we can accept it. |
