Frequently asked questions
What is Good News Mountaineer Garage?
Good News Mountaineer Garage is organized, and shall be operated exclusively for, the charitable and educational purposes of repairing and providing donated vehicles to persons moving from welfare to work, and other low-income persons needing transportation for employment, or to attain education goals.
Good News Mountaineer Garage is a 501 © 3, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, reliable transportation to West Virginians with lower incomes who are working toward a goal of financial independence. We do this by accepting donated vehicles, making necessary repairs to those vehicles, and then providing them to qualified West Virginians to use as transportation to and from work or job training.
Good News Mountaineer Garage is able to put people on the road to self-sufficiency with the help of many individuals and organizations. Our model consists of accepting repairable donated vehicles which are then distributed to families across the entire state of West Virginia in need of transportation to work or job training. Since its inception, Good News Mountaineer Garage has provided over 3,500 vehicles.
What are the tax benefits of donating a vehicle to Good News Mountaineer Garage?
All vehicle donations to GNMG are tax deductible.
If the vehicle is used in one of our programs the tax deduction will be based on the book value of the vehicle. If the vehicles book value is more than $4,999 GNMG will schedule an appraisal at no cost to the donor. This only applies if you do the standard itemized deduction.
If your car is sold, GNMG will provide you with official notification of the actual sale amount. If your car sells for $500 or more you are eligible to deduct the amount equal to the gross proceeds from the vehicle's sale. Cars selling for less than $500, are also eligible for a tax deduction, up to a maximum of $500. Please go to the IRS website to review the pdf
"A Donor's Guide to Vehicle Donations".
State tax credits are available to West Virginia residents who donate their vehicle(s). GNMG receives a limited number of state tax credits so be sure to ask if they are being offered when you contact GNMG to ask about donating your car.
In 2020, the West Virginia Legislature passed a new law providing state tax credits to dealers and private parties who provide vehicles to our program. These tax credits allow us to help participants purchase a used vehicle through a cooperating dealer, or from us, at a greatly reduced price. Up to a $2,000 State Tax Credit is available, if you vehicles book value is $6,000 or greater and meets the program criteria (no motorcycles, no high-end vehicles). Call us today to learn more!
If you have specific questions about how a car donation will affect your taxes, you should consult an accountant or other tax professional.
Who receives the vehicles that are donated?
GNMG currently has three programs to help low income West Virginia families or individuals.
WV WORKS PROGRAM
Good News Mountaineer Garage receives funding from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) through the WV Works Program to provide vehicles to families who need transportation to get to work and job training so they can get off public assistance.
For more information please click here.
JOBS & HOPE
Jobs & Hope West Virginia is the state’s comprehensive response to the substance use disorder crisis. Established by Governor Jim Justice and the West Virginia Legislature, this program offers support through a statewide collaboration of agencies in West Virginia. Individuals in recovery are offered the opportunity to obtain career training and to ultimately secure meaningful employment. Good News Mountaineer Garage and Jobs & Hope West Virginia partnered in April 2020 to provide recovering West Virginians a dependable vehicle to get to and from work.
For more information please click here.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
In 2020, the West Virginia Legislature passed a new law providing state tax credits to dealers and private parties who provide vehicles to our program. These tax credits allow us to help participants purchase a used vehicle through a cooperating dealer, or from us, at a greatly reduced price. A partnership with Element Federal Credit Union allows us to provide the participant with very low financing rate for the purchase of a vehicle (no more than 6 to 8% per year). Participants also complete a financial literacy component.
For more information please click here.
Do I have any liability for my vehicle after it is donated?
No. Good News Mountaineer Garage is a licensed used car dealer. You will sign the title over to GNMG when one of our staff picks up the vehicle. The vehicle then becomes the legal property of GNMG.
Are some donated vehicles not provided to low-income families?
Not all vehicles can be used in the program for low income families or individuals. Luxury vehicles or sports cars may be too expensive to maintain and operate for a family or individual. It is also not always practical to repair a vehicle due to its age and condition. These types of donated vehicles will be sold and the proceeds will be invested back into supporting our programs. In these cases, the donor may deduct what the car sells for. If the sell price is greater than $500, GNMG is required to provide Form 1098-C which the donor must attach to their Federal tax return. The IRS requires the donor's social security number to process this form.
How do I donate a vehicle?
When you call, 1-866-GIVE CAR (1-866-448-3227), a staff person will collect information to learn more about the history and condition of the vehicle. Next, you can drop off your vehicle to one of our locations or our staff will pick it up at your home. You can also complete the online donation form and a staff person will be in contact.
