Minnesota Car Donation
Find Car Donation Services in Your Area

Selling a car can be a hastle many of us would rather not have to deal with. Wouldn't it be great to avoid the hassle of fixing up a car that you want to sell? And wouldn't it be nice not worrying about advertising, taking calls from strangers, and spending precious time taking people on test drives in the car you're no longer interested in owning? Of course it would. And that's why car owners are increasingly choosing car donation as a valid alternative.

Car donation not only gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping those in need, but donating a car also provides a substantial tax break—sometimes saving you even more money than if you had gone through the trouble of selling the car yourself! We don't have to tell you that, if you found this page you are already interested in donating your car.

But if you are considering a car donation there are things you'll want to watch out for. State authorities recently convicted a man of claiming nearly $1,000,000 in car donations from the Foundation for Abused Children—a charity that doesn't even exist! And two unlicensed charities, the National Lung Foundation and the National Cancer Association, were ordered by the state attorney-general to stop accepting car donations because they would only accept the gifts if people paid a $200 towing fee—even if the vehicle didn't need towing! Making an ill-informed decision on where to donate a car can cost you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in tax-related savings! And state and federal oversight are practically non-existent for car donation services. Regulators freely acknowledge they cannot keep track of all of the groups involved in car donation, let alone know where all the money is going!

So which are the best most trustworthy charities to choose? How can you be sure your car donation is actually going to a good cause? Well, as the founder of a helpful car related Web site in the Twin Cities, I set out to find two top charities for Minnesota car donation.

The first thing I realized is that there is a nearly ENDLESS supply of car donation charities that accept Minnesota car donations! I critiqued companies based on these factors:

• Is the Charity IRS 501(c)(3) approved?
• Do they have a plan in place to pick up vehicles within 24 hrs if the donation is urgent?
• Do they accept vehicles that are not running, or that could be considered “clunkers”?
• Do they provide free towing for vehicles in need of a tow?
• What is the average contribution given per vehicle donated?

I sifted through a lot of car donation services to find two charities that I'd be proud to use for my Minnesota car donation, as well as one trustworthy National car donation program that accept cars, boats, RV's, and motorcycles from all states.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Minnesota is a great resource for Minnesota car donation. They are fully licensed as a tax exempt charity and accept all vehicles - running or not with no charge for pick-up. And the best part is that all proceeds help them grant the wishes of children with life threatening illnesses.

Another worthy organization for Minnesota car donation is Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. They are also fully licensed as a tax exempt charity and accept all vehicle donations with no charge for pick-up. The tax deductible donation of your vehicle helps fund medical research, support treatment programs, and helps patients and their families.

If you don't happen to live in Minnesota there is another great nation-wide option for finding car donation services in your area. Donateacar.com is a resource site for finding charities that accept car donations, including several more for Minnesota car donation. They have processed over 500,000 car donations for hundreds of charities since 1992. They accept all types of vehicles at no cost, handle the title transfer, and give you a receipt for tax purposes. You can also find charities that sell donated cars as well.

So if you have a car or other vehicle that you don't want to bother with trade-in or selling hassles consider these fine Minnesota or national car donation programs. After-all it benefits a good cause and you get a tax break as well!

If you need more information on changes to the tax law concerning your car donation check out the car donation tax law page. Or, for those of you who are looking to buy a donated car read the buying donated cars guide.