Thursday, August 23, 2018

Rules To Follow On How To Make A Boat Donation Tax Deduction

One of the incentives people get when they donate to charity is that they can deduct the value of their donation from their taxable income and thereby decrease their taxes. Of course, the opportunity for claiming a tax deduction is the icing on the cake rather than the sole reason for giving. People generally give to charity because they want to help the less fortunate but it also feels good to be able to reduce one's taxes. Meanwhile, it is also vital that people know the rules to follow when claiming a boat donation tax deduction.

Rules for How to Make a Boat Donation Tax Deduction

Exactly what you can deduct from your taxes will all depend on how much it was worth when it was sold. Therefore, the following are the basic rules:
  1. You can deduct the fair market value of the boat up to $500 if the boat was sold for $500 or less and you must complete Section A of Form 8283, which is to be attached to Form 1040.
  2. You can deduct the sale price, regardless of the fair market value of the boat if it was sold for up to $5,000 and you must complete Section A of Form 8283, which is to be attached to Form 1040.
  3. You can deduct the sale price, regardless of the fair market value of the boat if it was sold for $5,000 or more. However, you must also provide evidence of a third party, independent valuation of the boat. You must also complete Section B of Form 8283, which is to be attached to Form 1040.

Other Rules to Be Aware Of

There are a few other rules that you have to be aware of before making a boat donation tax deduction. Mainly, these have to do with what the charity did with your boat before selling it - if they sold it at all - and with the allowable amount of charitable contribution that you can deduct every year. Hence, it is very important that you speak to a tax adviser if you are not 100% sure of the process or what you are supposed to do. A mistake on a tax return should be avoided at all times!

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

How To Choose A Cause When Looking For A Car Donation Milwaukee Charity

When you provide a car donation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the community as a whole will benefit from your kindness. A charity will take that donation to fund their services and further their cause. Because a car donation Milwaukee program has the potential to raise substantial funds, the vast majority of charities now accept this kind of donation. However, there are a number of things you will have to think about in order to pick the one that is right for you.

The Technical Elements of a Car Donation Milwaukee Charity

There are three main elements to look into that are representative of a good charity:
  1. That they are 501(c)3 registered, which means they have charitable status and that you can deduct the value of your donation from your taxable income to reduce your tax due.
  2. That they have an efficiency of at least 80%, which means that at least 80% of the money they get from donations will go directly to the benefit of the service users.
  3. That they have not received a range of unanswered complaints or are facing any type of litigation.

The Esoteric Elements of a Car Donation Milwaukee Charity

If you were to compare all the charities in Milwaukee based on the three points above, you would still be left with a list of options. This is where it gets difficult. It is vital that you find a charity that supports a cause that you, yourself, feel passionate about. That is because it will enable you to see how your kindness has benefited the world as a whole. But the exact nature of that cause will be a completely personal decision and only you can make that choice.
To narrow things down, you may want to start by considering the type of service user that the car donation Milwaukee charity has - human, animal, or environment. You can then narrow it down further, such as by age group, particular animal, or specific environmental concern. There will always be a number of charities that will fit your personal requirements so you will, eventually, have to make a choice. Know, however, that whatever decision you will make, it will be a good one if you have followed the pointers above and your money will hence be put to good use.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

What to Look for Before you Donate a Car in Madison WI

There are charities in Madison, Wisconsin, vying for your attention. They hope that you will donate a car in Madison WI to them so that they can continue to provide their services. The vast majority of those charities are good, which makes it quite difficult for you to choose which one to give to. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can look into to help narrow down your choices.

When You Donate a Car in Madison WI, Make Sure to Give It to a 501(c)3 Registered Charity

The most important thing is that the charity you choose has the proper registration. Being listed as 501(c)3 organization means they are recognized as a charity. It also means that you can deduct the value of your donation from your taxable income and reduce your taxes at the end of the year. This makes choosing this route a very inviting option, even for first time donors. 

Pick an Efficient Charity

Efficiency in a charity means that most of the money they are able collect will actually go towards the benefit of their service users and not to administrative, management, or marketing costs. It is often advisable to look for an efficiency rating of at least 80%. Organizations, such as Charity Navigator, provide the efficiency rating of various charities. Some charities also report on their efficiency themselves. Rawhide is one example of this and you may notice that their self-reported efficiency is lower than that reported by Charity Navigator, although both are more than good enough. This also tells you how honest this particular charity is.

Pick a Complaint-Free Charity

Next, you need to make sure that people approve of the work that the charity does and how it is done. Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other such independent review sites to find out how people feel about the charity. The BBB is particularly good, as it will also list how many complaints the charity has had and how it responded, and whether it is facing or has faced litigation.

With the above tips, you should be able to significantly narrow down your options in terms of which charity to donate to. More specifically, if you use the above checklist, you will be able to ensure that your money will be put to good use each and every time you make a donation.

Friday, August 10, 2018

When Should You Give To Donate Used Vehicle Green Bay Charities?

If you want to donate used vehicle Green Bay charities will be incredibly grateful for it. However, it is important that you do so at a time that is right for you, so that you both benefit from it. Of course, you can work with a donate used vehicle Green Bay charity whenever you want. If you want to purchase a brand new vehicle from a showroom and donate it to charity directly, you have every right to do so. But most people cannot afford that and have to instead find that window of opportunity in which their car isn't worth as much to them anymore, while still being worth something for the charity.

When to Give to Donate Used Vehicle Green Bay Charities

You have every right to donate any type of used car and the charitable organization will be incredibly grateful for it, whether it is relatively new or a non-runner that can only be scrapped. However, the so-called "Goldilocks" zone is the one in which you both benefit from the most. What that means is that you should not give your vehicle away to charity if you could get more money for it by selling it yourself to put towards your new vehicle. To explain further:
  1. If it would cost more to repair the vehicle than what it is worth;
  2. If you do not need to part exchange it towards a new vehicle;
  3. If it is still road worthy but it is starting to break down;
... then you will have found the perfect opportunity to donate.

How to Donate a Used Vehicle

You will be happy to know that making a vehicle donation is incredibly easy. Regardless of the condition of your vehicle, you simply need to contact the charity and they will make arrangements to pick it up. If the car can still be driven and you have the time, you can also drop it off. The charity will then sell your vehicle and you will receive a tax receipt on which its value is shown. You can then use this to deduct that value from your taxable income so that you can reduce your taxes.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

For those planning to donate boat to charity In Wisconsin, this information is important

For those who want to donate boat to charity in Wisconsin, this article may provide some help. Actually, you will be happy to know that the process of donating a boat is actually very easy. This makes sense, because it would be in the charity's best interests to not put any hurdle in your way since they really need the kindness of donors like you. After all, they are dependent on other people's donations to be able to run their services.

Step 1 - Tell the Charity You Want to Donate Boat

The first thing you have to do is inform the charity of the fact that you want to make a donation. Most charities now have online contact forms available to make this easy. Alternatively, you can telephone them, email them, fax them, or even pop into their store or headquarters in order to find out more about boat donation charities near you.

Step 2 - Wait for the Charity to Get in Touch

Your details will be passed on to the workers in the charity who arrange the collection of donations. They will then get back to you, usually within no more than two business days, and let you know exactly what they need from you, such as the HIN (Hull Identification Number) and State Boat Registration Certificate. At this point, you also have the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have in relation to the donation process. Finally, they will arrange with you a date and time that is convenient for you to pick up your boat.

Step 3 - Wait for the Charity to Send you a Tax Receipt

Once the charity has picked up the boat donation, they will sell it at auction to raise funds. A tax receipt will then be provided to you that denotes the value it was sold for. This should happen within 30 days of your donation. If the charity you donate boat to is 501(c)3 registered, you will be able to deduct this value from your taxable income and reduce your tax at the end of the year. The IRS Publication 4303 explains exactly what forms you need to fill in for this deduction and the charity will likely to be able to advise you on it as well. Do be aware that the charity is not permitted to give you any legal advice, so if you have legal questions when it comes to the idea of choosing to donate boat, you'll need to look elsewhere.