http://www.donateforacause.org/ (getting rid of a timeshare)

If you merely want to get rid of your timeshare the site below may take it off your hands for charity at no cost to you, however all maintenance fees and liens must be paid to date.

I have read that some timeshares they will not take, period, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

http://www.donateforacause.org/

Listed below are some of the timeshare resorts they will not take, however there are others that are not on the list that they also will not take. The best thing to do is fill out the form on their website to see IF they will take your timeshare.

http://donateforacause.org/rejects.php

From their FAQ:

"No property will be accepted for donation if the market analysis concludes that the property can not be sold for a profit within a three week period"

> The best thing to do is fill out the form on their website to see IF they will take your timeshare.

Jayjay, just to clarify, I think you need to commit to the donation before they'll say whether they'll take it or not. That is, they could still refuse it, but if they accept it, you can't just say "okay, I'll keep this possibility in mind," and do something else. Is that your understanding?

The form I think you're referring to, at http://donateforacause.org/donate_your_timeshare/ , includes "I also understand that once this form is submitted, Donate For A Cause will begin a time consuming and costly title search process on my property and that I fully intend to perform any necessary duties to complete the donation of the property."

My time share is at Winter Park Twin Rivers Colorado 10th week

My time share week could be a donation to a charitable org. . It is located at Winter Park Colorado *Twin Rivers condo-two floors etc) and is a prime month (10) for winter holiday. I could also be a trade for a week in Florida during the summer months.

Unfortunately, in this struggling (and still worsening) economy, many charitable organizations have completely stopped accepting any more timeshare donations. Such donations are of no use or value to an organization unless that organization can promptly and efficiently turn the timeshare into cash to advance their particular cause. Simply stated, if you can't sell it then it's unlikely that the charity could easily do so either.

Right now, there are over 1,100 timeshares offered on eBay. Many of them are listed for $1.00, yet many such listings expire with no bids whatsoever. This is a clear reflection of our difficult economic times. Timeshare ownership is a luxury, one with associated, mandatory financial obligations (i.e., annual maintenance fees). In these difficult times, people (and charities) are not exactly stampeding or beating the doors down to take on any such new, non-essential financial obligations...

stewartw11 wrote:

My time share week could be a donation to a charitable org. . It is located at Winter Park Colorado *Twin Rivers condo-two floors etc) and is a prime month (10) for winter holiday. I could also be a trade for a week in Florida during the summer months.

I would at least submit a request to Donate for a Cause and see if they will accept your TS. But as others have said,it they cannot sell it quickly, they won't accept it.

Also, there is a member on the TUG forum who owns at Twin Rivers, they could probably tell you the probability of donating (or selling) your TS.

I have just successfully donated my timeshare in Maui to Donate For a Cause. I began the process in June of 2010. They initially began working on the sell for 2 months without a cost to me, but to no success, so I went to the guaranteed process, where I paid $1895 for the cost, plus $225 for appraisal - all of which is tax deductible. (Mind you, I did my homework before looking into this. Had also confirmed with the charities (ie. Heart Assoc, Cancer, Kidney Foundation) and they use Donate for a Cause. Confirmed with IRS that this was a legit agency. I have recd all paperwork of the transfer, as well as forms that they have completed for income tax purposes. You also get to write off the appraised value, which mine was close to $9,000. So I'm pleased, and it was through this RedWeek forums that I learned about Donate for a Cause. Thanks a bunch.

patw170 wrote:

I paid $1895 for the cost, plus $225 for appraisal - all of which is tax deductible........ You also get to write off the appraised value, which mine was close to $9,000.

I sincerely hope that you are correct, but the "appraisal" itself is one which would have to pass muster with the IRS before being accepted as legitimate or accurate, in the event that you were actually audited. What are the qualifications of (or value basis from) the "appraiser"?

I'm certainly no tax expert, but it seems logical that the "fair market value" of ANY timeshare is quite simply what its sells for, today, in the current market. If, for example, the same week at the same facility sells for $50 on eBay at the time of a donation, then the "fair market value" of a donation during that time frame would then appear to be $50. (I'm NOT suggesting that's all your timeshare was worth, I'm merely making an observation on the "fair market value" issue).

I'm glad that your donation was completed, but whether or not the expenses and figures cited above as "tax deductible" could / would actually withstand IRS scrutiny perhaps still remains to be seen...