How to Donate a Single Wide Mobile Home

Donating to a local charity is an admirable personal attribute. You may desire to donate a big-ticket item, such as a car or a mobile home, to a well-deserved organization in your area. You can donate a single-wide mobile home freely without getting anything in return, but you must obtain a value appraisal beforehand in order to claim it as a tax write-off at the end of the year. The IRS requires that you obtain an appraisal for any item valued over $500 in order to claimed a deduction for it. Once an appraisal has been obtained, the title must be signed over and presented to the charity to which it is being donated.

Things You'll Need

• Appraisal estimate certificate
• Certificate of Title

Instructions

1. Get your single-wide mobile home appraised if it's worth more than $500. Most real-estate firms in your area will be able to provide you with contact information for property appraisers in your area.

2. Make two copies of the appraisal estimate certificate--one for you and one for the charitable organization.

3. Sign and date the mobile home's Certificate of Title under the "Seller Information" block on the title. Have the charity's treasury officer sign in the "Buyer" block on the title.

4. Type up a "Bill of Sale" signifying that the mobile home is being donated to the non-profit charity for zero dollars and zero cents. Be sure to include the name of the charity, its non-profit identification number, and the date you donated the item. Provide signature and date blocks at the bottom of the document.

5. Schedule an appointment for you and the charity officer to goto a local Notary Public to sign the document. Both of you need to sign in the presence of the Notary, who will then stamp it to make a it legally-recognized document.

6. Schedule an appointment for you and the charity to go to your local Department of Motor Vehicles titling office. It is at this point that the mobile home ownership will be transferred to the non-profit charity organization, with full registration of the home being made to that charity.

Tips & Warnings

• If you intend to use the value of your mobile home as a tax write-off at the end of the tax year, be sure you get a receipt of the property you are donating. A receipt is required to claim the property value as a tax deduction.

• Never attempt to donate an item if there are any bank or tax liens on the property. You must have paid off the property and must be current with all taxes and financial obligations before donating your property to a charity.

References

• Tax Law and Big Ticket Items
• Internal Revenue Service: Donating Items Over $500
• Notary Public Information: Notarizing of Legal Documents