| Siddhartha the Buddha once said that life is sorrowful. | | | | your information to your local American Red Cross |
| And while it is true that people are always going to | | | | chapter, call the national hotline, or fill out the online |
| suffer, sometimes the suffering is too great and too | | | | form on the official Red Cross website, and make |
| unnecessary to simply chalk up to "that's just how | | | | arrangements to have your car picked up. One of |
| life is." Unfortunately, sometimes a disaster strikes, | | | | the perks of American Red Cross car donation is that |
| and that is when we all have to rally together to help | | | | you will receive a tax deduction for your contribution. |
| others in need. This is where an American Red Cross | | | | The general rule of thumb is that the better condition |
| junk car donation can actually be a blessing to | | | | your car is in, the greater tax deduction you can |
| someone's life. | | | | expect. For many people, donating a car to charity is |
| When a disaster strikes, all of the normal things we | | | | simply easier than dealing with the hassle of selling |
| take for granted go down the tubes in a hurry. | | | | their car themselves. |
| Forget cable TV - try going a few days without | | | | Why You Should Donate Your Vehicle |
| clean water to drink, bathe in, or clean your clothes | | | | The car donation program at the American Red |
| with. Forget eating at a tasty restaurant - try going a | | | | Cross is unique in that is is extremely user-friendly. |
| week or two in which all of the food you eat is | | | | After submitting your information, a flatbed truck will |
| whatever you can scrounge up. Disasters turn | | | | arrive to your home, and paperwork is put into |
| comfortably middle class people who have good jobs | | | | motion to immediately transfer the title out of your |
| into homeless people who suddenly have none of the | | | | name and to the charitable organization through the |
| comfort they have worked so hard to build in life. | | | | Department of Motor Vehicles. This is a great |
| And the matter of fact is this could happen to any | | | | process because you are immediately relieved from |
| of us at any time. | | | | any liability related to your donated automobile. After |
| Basic Information About Donating Your Car To The | | | | the title transfer, expect to receive a letter of |
| American Red Cross | | | | acknowledgment in the mail that shows all of your |
| Most people are familiar with the work that the | | | | vehicle information and the full VIN number with in a |
| American Red Cross does - after all, it is one of the | | | | few weeks. |
| most familiar charities in the United States. What | | | | All vehicles are appraised and then sent off to |
| most people don't know is that that old car that has | | | | auction. To comply with regulations by the Internal |
| been littering your lawn or languishing in your garage | | | | Revenue Service, once your vehicle is sold to its new |
| can be donated to help others in need. What the | | | | owner, you will receive the IRS Form #1098 Title |
| Red Cross does with the cars it receives from | | | | Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats and Airplanes |
| donors like you is fix up these automobiles and sell | | | | from your local Red Cross Chapter. This form is |
| them at an auction. What is unique about the | | | | important in confirming the actual sales price and date |
| American Red Cross car donation program is that | | | | that your vehicle is sold. It is important paperwork |
| many of these vehicles are actually sold via auction | | | | that will need to be included with your annual tax |
| online. How's that for technology helping to improve | | | | return in order to receive the full tax deduction |
| the quality of people's lives? | | | | benefits offered by vehicle donation. |
| The car donation process is fairly simple - you submit | | | | |