Q01: |
How
do I know that you are a legitimate organization? |
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A: |
We
are legitimate and in good standing with both the
State and Federal Governments, and are recognized
to be tax-exempt organizations as described in Internal
Revenue Code Section 501(c) (3). Our IRS identification
number is 95-4534972. We are in our eighth year of
serving high-risk youth. You can read more about us and our good work on our web site http://www.la-youth.org
Most of
our organization's financial data including copies of our IRS form
990 filings are posted in our area on GuideStar's national
data base. To view this information please
click here. |
Q02: |
How
is the value of the vehicle established? And who does
this? |
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A: |
The
donor determines the value of their vehicle donation. The IRS rules state that the value of the vehicle is determined by the amount of money paid for it when the charity sells it, if it sells for more than $500. If it sells for less than $500, the donor can claim up to $500 of the fair book value.
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Q03: |
What
kind of paperwork will I receive and when? |
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A: |
At the time the car is picked up, you will receive from the tow truck operator an official receipt of your donation with our Tax ID # that is required by the IRS to support any claim you might make for a tax deduction. If you will send a copy of that receipt to us at The Youth Rescue Fund, P.O. Box 46606, Los Angeles, CA 90046, we will also send you a certificate of donation with the selling price of your vehicle, which you can use as back-up when you file your tax return.
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Q04: |
Who
handles DMV paperwork? |
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A: |
We
do. We will provide all necessary forms for you to
sign at the time the vehicle is picked up. If your car is registered in California, you will need to enter the necessary information, sign and mail the "Release of Liability" form (that is attached to your title)
directly to Sacramento DMV. (List "Youth Rescue Fund" as the buyer and "Donate" as the selling price). If you do not have the form, let us know and we will get one to you.
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Q05: |
What
do you do with the donated vehicles? |
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A: |
Donated
vehicles are sold to the public, to dealers, to auto
shops, to dismantlers and to salvage dealers depending
on their condition.
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Q06: |
How
much money has this vehicle donation program raised
for charitable purposes? |
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A: |
Please
visit the Financial Information
section of our web site for details.
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Q07: |
Do
all donors benefit from this tax write-off? |
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A: |
No,
not all donors benefit from this donation. Some donors
will be able to take advantage of this and some will
not, depending on that individual's income tax situation.
In general, if you do the IRS "short form"
you will not benefit. If you itemize and use the IRS
"long form", however, you may be able to
benefit from this. Please consult with your tax preparer
or CPA for individual consultation.
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Q07: |
What are the IRS rule regarding donations? |
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A: |
We have prepared a brief, unofficial summary of the applicable IRS regulations. Please remember that these rules change over time, so we advise that you check the official regulations by clicking on the link to them on the summary page. To view the summary page Click Here
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Q08: |
How
do I go about donating my vehicle? |
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A: |
It's
simple. Call The Youth Rescue Fund at 310-845-6202 .
We will take care of all the paperwork and handle
all the arrangements for you, or click
here to for more detailed donation information.
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Q09: |
What
kind of cars can I donate? Or in what kind of condition? |
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A: |
Practically
we can accept any vehicle as a donation. The few vehicles
that we cannot accept will be those which are not
complete, with fire damage extensive body damage or
that have been flooded. Also, the vehicle must be
accessible and in safe condition to tow. If in doubt,
please call us at 310-845-6202
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Q10: |
How
soon can you make arrangements to pick up the car? |
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A: |
Usually
within 24 hrs. after notification. And sometimes, depending on the location and
the volume of calls, it will take up to 3 days.
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Q11: |
When
can you have my car picked up? |
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A: |
We
provide towing service on a daily basis including
Saturdays. We usually schedule morning, afternoon
and evening pick ups on any given day. Of course we
will do this at your convenience.
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Q12: |
Is
the towing free of charge to me? |
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A: |
Yes,
we provide free towing at your convenience.
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Q13: |
How
far do you go to tow donated vehicles? |
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A: |
We
have set up a network that enables us to tow from
most areas surrounding the LA and San Diego metropolis
as follows:
To
the West of LA The Ventura and Mira Monte
areas |
To
the North of LA The Santa Clarita area |
To
the East of LA The San Bernardino and Yucaipa
Areas |
To
the South of LA.... Mission Viejo, San Clemente,
and San Diego areas |
We also
have arrangements with a company that will process
vehicles donated to us, nationwide. Please call the toll free number at
310-845-6202 for more detailed information.
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Q14: |
What
other donations do you accept? |
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A: |
At
the present time we can accept vehicles, motorhomes,
RV trailer, motorcycles and some boats. If you are
interested in making large corporate donations of
other goods, or donations of industrial nature, please
call us at 310-845-6202 For household items or
other goods please call us.
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Q15: |
I
want more information about your organization and the programs that you
provide. |
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A: |
For
more information about us you can go to our web site
at http://la-youth.orgor call us at at the numbers in Q14, above. We'll
be glad to fax or mail this information to you.
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