Donate the boat trailer that stayed after the boat went

Why boat trailers get donated on their own

Because a trailer without a boat has almost no private market. Buyers shopping for a trailer want one sized to a hull they already own, which is a narrow match, and a listing for a twenty-year-old bunk trailer brings offers of seventy-five dollars from people who want you to deliver it.

The other pattern is the boat that went to a yard or a dismantler and left the trailer behind, or an estate where the boat was sold years ago. In both cases the trailer occupies the good part of the driveway and costs a registration fee for nothing.

Hitched and gone, usually in one visit

Most boat trailers are simply towed away behind our driver's truck. Flat tires, dead lights and seized bearings are expected and not a problem; where the trailer cannot safely roll it goes on a flatbed instead. Giving Center arranges and pays for it.

Tell us the hitch size, the axle count, and whether the trailer has sunk into soft ground or is boxed in behind other vehicles. If you also want the boat gone, say so and we will handle both together; see boat donations.

What decides what a boat trailer brings

• Capacity and length, which decide what hull it fits and therefore who wants it.
• Frame condition, with galvanized frames holding up far better than painted steel, especially in salt water use.
• Axles and brakes, since tandem axles with working brakes sell for noticeably more.
• Bunks, rollers and winch in serviceable condition.
• Tires, bearings and lights, cheap to fix but the first things a buyer checks.
• Whether it rolls, which decides between a tow and a flatbed and affects the net proceeds.

The paperwork, and what you can deduct

Whether your state titles a trailer depends on its weight, and many never issue a title at all. Where there is no title, a bill of sale, an old registration card, or a notarized affidavit of ownership with the VIN or serial number is normally sufficient, and homemade trailers can usually be donated with an affidavit and a state-assigned VIN. See state title rules for your state.

Your deduction is the gross sale proceeds once Giving Center sells it, on Form 1098-C. Items in this class often sell below $500, in which case you may deduct the lesser of fair market value or $500. Above $500 you file Form 8283 Section A; above $5,000 the IRS requires a qualified appraisal you obtain and pay for. We tell you which to expect before pickup. Full detail on the tax benefits page.