If you donate your car to charity, here are a few important points that you should consider. The first thing you need to do before giving a donation to charity is to make sure that the organization you are donating to is registered, lawful and completely verifiable. There is a good reason for this. There are many unscrupulous people who would prey on your generosity by posing as legitimate charities, so make sure that the vehicle that you are donating will be used for charitable purposes, rather than to line the pockets of criminals and fraudsters. Goodwill Industries and The American Red Cross are well known, legitimate charities and need donations now more than ever.

Of course you want your donation to go to the right place. But how can you tell if the charity you have chosen to support is cheating you out of your money? Well, there are quite a few ways to find that out. Look out for unusual or hidden fees, if you are asked to pay extra fees in adition to the donation this probably means that they are trying to squeeze as much money out of you as possible, and that they are not a ligitimate charity. When you donate a car you should not be asked to pay any additional fees. If the charity asks you to pay an additional handling fee along with the auto donation then you should know that something is not right about the situation and that you are being exploited.

When I donate my car I wish to know that the proceeds from that sale will be put to good use. I am sure that you share the same sentiments. It is up to you to make sure that the organization to which you donate is legally registered as a charity. This is really very important. If you don’t certify these credentials then it will be very difficult to recieve any of the tax benefits that go with making a donation. Moreover you would be helping others to commit fraud, and that is something that nobody wants.