# how do i donate a time to charity



## roadking1 (Nov 1, 2007)

can anybody tell me how to donate a week to a charity. i have two weeks at the same resort, one is a prime week and the other is in march on the ocean so it's no marketable or is it?


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## roadking1 (Dec 3, 2007)

*please respond i need info reguarding donating my Ts to a charity*

where can i find info so i can quickly donate my time share to a charity asap



roadking said:


> can anybody tell me how to donate a week to a charity. i have two weeks at the same resort, one is a prime week and the other is in march on the ocean so it's no marketable or is it?


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## tashamen (Dec 3, 2007)

Click on the Advice section (near top right corner of this screen), scroll down to Buying & Selling Timeshares, and click on the link that says "When you can't sell a timeshare at any price."  Lots of useful information there.


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## theo (Dec 3, 2007)

*Do some homework...*

Links have been pointed out to you in previous posts. You can also use Google (or some other search engine) to find Donate for a Cause, or Florida Veterans Association.

Keep in mind that charities will only accept a timeshare which they can easily and promptly sell off. And at this time of year, with maintenance fee bills already in the mail, you're quite mistaken if you believe that a charity is going to accept "donation" of a week on which fees are soon due. That would be "inheriting a debt", not "accepting a donation".... 
Good luck.




roadking said:


> where can i find info so i can quickly donate my time share to a charity asap


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## DeniseM (Dec 3, 2007)

Just put it on ebay for $1 and let it go.  Stipulate that the new owner pays all transfer/closing fees.


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## lopil (Dec 3, 2007)

*Don't be so quick to give up on your week*



roadking said:


> can anybody tell me how to donate a week to a charity. i have two weeks at the same resort, one is a prime week and the other is in march on the ocean so it's no marketable or is it?



Unless you do not want another week.  Your March week may be more valuable than you think.  As an owner at your resort, you may have internal priority exchange at your resort or sister resorts.  As a result, your non-prime week may have priority at your family of resorts for an exchange during the prime season over a red week from a non-owner.  Also, if you also own a week with one of the major systems like Marriott, II elevates the trading power of your non-Marriott weeks.  As a result, you will be able to see many valuable properties that you would not see if you were not associated with those systems.


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## JLB (Dec 4, 2007)

From all reports (or lack thereof), this group appears to be OK.  They are relatively new, but experienced in the timeshare business, having been TUG users many years ago.

The charity is near us and also legit.

We donated to German Language School, but I since have heard they discontinued that program.

If you need it, I believe you can get up to $5000 as an itemized tax deduction, without having an appraisal.

http://www.trejesto.com/


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## TGMcCallie (Dec 28, 2007)

*Donate time share to charity*

I am a professional Tax specialists with H&R Block.

The rules have changed concerning donations for 2007. You can't just donate and set an amount. Anything 500.00 and over HAS to have an official appraisal. The appraisal amount is what you can legally claim as a non cash donation. You probably will be better off selling the time share and donating the cash to the non profit charity of your choice. 

Also starting in 2007 you have to have a written receipt for all cash donations as well as itimized written receipts for non cash ones that are less than 500.00. Yes that goes for the money you drop in the Salvation Army pot as well.

Tom


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## DeniseM (Dec 28, 2007)

TGMcCallie said:


> You probably will be better off selling the time share and donating the cash to the non profit charity of your choice.



That problem is that there are some timeshares that are impossible to sell, (no one wants them) so people are looking for ways to give them away and get out from under the maintenance fees.  They aren't looking for a deduction, they just want to get rid of their obligation.

The last time I looked on ebay there were 5.5 pages of timeshares listed for $1!  

Many of these TS's won't be accepted by charities either...


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## Dave M (Dec 28, 2007)

TGMcCallie said:


> Anything 500.00 and over HAS to have an official appraisal.


That's not true. Generally, an appraisal is not required unless the claimed value exceeds $5,000. And even then, appraisals are not required for donations of all property donations that exceed $5,000. Publicly trade stock of a company is an exception to the general rule requiring appraisals.

The $500 rule applies to clothing and household items, not to timeshares and other real estate.

See this IRS write-up, which the IRS updated on December 7, 2007.





> Also starting in 2007 you have to have a written receipt for all cash donations as well as itemized written receipts for non cash ones that are less than 500.00. Yes that goes for the money you drop in the Salvation Army pot as well.


Yes, as has previously been discussed here, that is a new rule effective for 2007.


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## TUGBrian (Dec 28, 2007)

Dave > H&R block  =D


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## cissy (Dec 29, 2007)

*Clarification*



Dave M said:


> That's not true. Generally, an appraisal is not required unless the claimed value exceeds $5,000. And even then, appraisals are not required for donations of all property donations that exceed $5,000. Publicly trade stock of a company is an exception to the general rule requiring appraisals.
> 
> The $500 rule applies to clothing and household items, not to timeshares and other real estate.
> 
> See this IRS write-up, which the IRS updated on December 7, 2007.Yes, as has previously been discussed here, that is a new rule effective for 2007.




Dave,

In reading the IRS link, it appears to me that the $500 rule applies to a single item.  If one donates multiple items to a charity at one time, and values them at less than the $500 limit, are receipts still required?  Thanks.


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## Dave M (Dec 29, 2007)

As TGMcCallie accurately stated, you must now have receipts for _*all*_ charitable contrutions. Thus, dropping a $5 bill in a Salvation Army bucket or donating a few books to the library without getting a receipt will not entitle you to a charitable deduction. That's a new rule for 2007.

There are several applicable quotes at the link, including:





> If you make any noncash contribution, you must get and keep a receipt from the charitable organization....





> You cannot deduct a cash contribution, regardless of the amount, unless you keep one of the following.
> 
> A bank record that shows the name of the qualified organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. Bank records may include:
> A canceled check,
> ...


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## Dave M (Dec 29, 2007)

As TGMcCallie accurately stated, you must now have receipts for _*all*_ charitable contrutions. Thus, dropping a $5 bill in a Salvation Army bucket or donating a few books to the library without getting a receipt will not entitle you to a charitable deduction. That's a new rule for 2007.

There are several applicable quotes at the link, including:





> If you make any noncash contribution, you must get and keep a receipt from the charitable organization....





> You cannot deduct a cash contribution, regardless of the amount, unless you keep one of the following.
> 
> 1. A bank record that shows the name of the qualified organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. Bank records may include:
> A canceled check,
> ...


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## roadking1 (Mar 25, 2008)

DeniseM said:


> Just put it on ebay for $1 and let it go.  Stipulate that the new owner pays all transfer/closing fees.



Denise if i list my week on ebay for 1.00 and no body accepts the offer then what it could stay listed for ever and i'll continue having to pay the increasing fees each year


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## TUGBrian (Mar 25, 2008)

have you tried to deed it back to the developer?

Sure its a long shot...but it only requires you to call and ask...and worst they can say is no and you are no worse off than you were before.


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## DeniseM (Mar 25, 2008)

roadking said:


> Denise if i list my week on ebay for 1.00 and no body accepts the offer then what it could stay listed for ever and i'll continue having to pay the increasing fees each year



I see that you first asked this question back in Nov. and you've gotten a lot of good advice in this thread.  It's not going to be easy to get rid of an unwanted timeshare, because there are a lot of people in the same boat.  

What action have you taken so far?  

Have you tried any of the suggestions?

Here's a real easy one - list it right here on the TUG Bargain Basement Board.  No cost - no risk.


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## bogey21 (Mar 26, 2008)

DeniseM said:


> Just put it on ebay for $1 and let it go.  Stipulate that the new owner pays all transfer/closing fees.



Some of us donate to charity to help the charity.  If OP sells for $1, how does that help charity?

George


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## DeniseM (Mar 26, 2008)

bogey21 said:


> Some of us donate to charity to help the charity.  If OP sells for $1, how does that help charity?
> 
> George



The poster was given that info. in Dec. and apparently still owns the TS, so I was suggesting alternatives.  If a TS has no _resale value_, a charity will not accept it.


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## bogey21 (Mar 26, 2008)

DeniseM said:


> If a TS has no _resale value_, a charity will not accept it.



A prime week on the ocean = no value.  The market is tougher than I thought

George


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## DeniseM (Mar 26, 2008)

bogey21 said:


> A prime week on the ocean = no value.  The market is tougher than I thought
> 
> George



It sounds like you know a lot more about his resort than I do - where does he own?  I hope you will reach out to him - thanks!  DeniseM


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