Can you donate your points to charity??

[TwingleMum]

A friend has 230 pts that will expire in Aug. She is thinking of trying to rent them. But I was just thinking that maybe she could donate them to make a wish or something. Is it even possible?

 

[tjkraz]

I've seen posts here from people who have donated to Give Kids The World. If I recall correctly, they will search their records for a family soon to be visiting who requires the type of accommodations you can provide. They will then ask that you make a reservation under the name of the family.

A tax deduction (charitable donation) can be taken for the Rack Rate of the room for the duration of the trip.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

Yes, you can, as the prior poster stated they will tell you any dates they need. You may get in touch with...

Ruthie Forester
Make A wish foundation
1053, North Orlando Ave
Maitland, Florida,32751

Give kids the World
Tom Levesque
210 South Bass Road.Kissimee, Florida, 34746

If I can find the phone numbers, I will post them when I get a chance.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Although I don't want to discourage anyone from donating to charities because we too have done so, but I do want to caution you that it is not tax deductible unless you are donating your entire ownership. Partial ownership such as points for a week, etc. are not tax deductible. Here's a link to the IRS publication. I double checked with our accountant last year, as well. He concurred that it had to be the entire ownership to make it tax deductible.
IRS Publication

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I was able to claim as a charitable donation, My donation to make a wish. Simply with a letter from Make a wish, thanking me.

As for Give Kids the World. They gave me a receipt. IRS approved. Stating the rack rate amount of charutable contribution. That will be submitted in 04's taxes.

I have been doing this for years and have always claimed it as a charitable deduction.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thak you all so much for the information. I will pass it on.

 

[LoveToDisney]

My tax accountant used to work for the IRS. Simply having a receipt or letter from a tax deductible charitable organization doesn't work if the gift that was given is excluded from what is okay to give. The charitable organization will always give you a thank you letter for any type of donation and some CPA's must not know or care about timeshares or how the IRS sees them. It probably won't hurt you unless you are audited, but a heads up that when I checked it out with the IRS to make sure after reading the brochure on-line, they told me it was not deductible. They said it had to be the entire purchase when regarding real estate interests. If you paid CRO for a 7 night stay at a villa and donated the entire stay, that would be the entire purchase--you could donate that to a charitable org and it would be deductible. To make a timeshare purchase deductible, you would need to donate the entire purchase (which for us would be the use from now through the end of the contract) to a qualified charitable org --otherwise it is merely "loss of income" even though we are not in a business. It's really weird, but....
I would love to hear differently, because it was sad news for me, too.