How to Donate a Car in Staten Island, New York
Donating a vehicle to charity provides a tax deduction for the donor while also providing revenue to charitable organizations. Most charities accept vehicle donations for resale as a way to support their efforts in the Staten Island area or throughout the world. On Staten Island, many charities offer online donation options for added convenience, such as Staten Island Car Donation, Cars Fighting Cancer, Online Car Donation and Donate A Car 2 Charity.
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Instructions
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Contact the charity of your choice regarding your vehicle donation. Nearly all charities, both those on Staten Island and those working on a national level, provide an online donation form to make the process more convenient. Information about the car needed to complete the online donation form includes the condition of the vehicle, the make and model, the current mileage, any repairs needed to make the vehicle operational and a lien-free title. A car title is considered lien-free when the owner no longer owes a bank, finance corporation, credit union or anyone else for the car.
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Schedule a time for a Staten Island tow company to pick-up the vehicle. An agreement between the charity and a local tow company allows your vehicle to be picked up at your convenience free of charge. The tow company will contact you to arrange for a day and time. Upon receipt of the vehicle, the tow company provides a receipt for the vehicle donation. Keep this receipt for your records.
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Maintain all donation documentation to verify your donation if questions arise. Within approximately 10 to 15 days after receiving the donated vehicle, the charity will send you an IRS Form 1098-C for tax deduction purposes. The tax deduction amount is $500 or the full amount of the vehicle's worth, whichever is larger. The IRS Form 1098-C is required to claim the full amount.
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Tips & Warnings
Information on obtaining a new title without lien-holder information can be found by contacting the New York Department of Motor Vehicles Richmond Office located in the West Shore Plaza, 1775 South Ave., Suite 2, Staten Island, NY 10314 or on the NYDMV's website (see Resources).
Remove everything from the vehicle before the tow company arrives to collect the donation. Look under the seats, in the console, the glove compartment, the trunk and anywhere else you may have stored personal belongings.
Remove the license plates from the vehicle prior to the tow company's arrival for faster service.
Donations such as vehicles are only tax deductible when donated to a registered 501c3 charitable organization. If you plan to utilize the tax deduction, verify the organization you choose is registered with the IRS as a 501c3 corporation.
