Donate Your Car - Charities That Accept Car Donations Directly

Thinking of donating your clunker to charity for a nice tax deduction? Proceed with caution.

The gifting of used cars to "charities" has become a favorite way for Americans to dispose of unwanted vehicles. And why not? You can avoid the headache of selling or junking the car, help a charitable cause and lower your tax burden all at the same time.

Unfortunately, the experience is rarely, in reality, such a win-win situation. Not only do charities typically see little of the proceeds from a used car sale, but donors can run afoul of the taxman if they're not careful.

At the end of the day, donating a used car could be the least cost-effective way to give to a charity," said Stephanie Kalivas, an analyst with CharityWatch, an organization that monitors the charitable giving industry.

The problem is the industry is riddled with fraud and misrepresentation. Attorneys General from multiple states have investigated car donation charities for false advertising and self-dealing. Many of the organizations are for-profit intermediaries that give token contributions to a participating charity. Others misrepresent the cause they support and/or give low percentages of their funds raised to their stated targets.

Kars4Kids, for example, a New Jersey-based organization with an insipid yet highly successful advertising jingle, has received more than 450,000 car donations, according to its website. The organization, however, got a D rating from CharityWatch because it distributes less than 50 percent of the money it takes in and because, despite a national advertising campaign, it fails to adequately disclose that the money goes to benefit Jewish children only, and almost exclusively in the New York/New Jersey area..