We are going to donate our timeshare with the proceeds going to St. Jude Childrens Hospital. My question is, the donation company is asking for too much personal information to complete a 8282 IRS donation form. Is there anyone out there donated their timeshare? Were you asked to suppy personal info? We own the TS outright. What are the tax benefits, is it worth it?

Donating a timeshare is a quick way to resolve your real estate burden. There are no upfront fees, the charity will handle the timeshare transfer process for you, and it is taken care of quickly. Many charities will let you start the process online, and then contact you to finish up all of the paperwork. And of course, you will have the knowledge that your donation went to help a worthy cause.

One of the main advantages of donating is the tax write-off benefit. While you will generally receive more money if you sell your timeshare, if you like the idea of donating, you will still get some financial benefits. Once the timeshare transfer is complete, the charity will send you a receipt as proof. There is usually not a dollar amount attached, which is what you will need to determine yourself. Keep in mind that if the fair market value of your timeshare is over $5,000, you will need to get an appraisal to claim that amount on your taxes. You will need to pay for the appraisal yourself, which is often in the $300-$500 dollar range.

In order to have a smooth transfer of the timeshare over to the charity, there is some paperwork and initial information you will want to collect. You will want all of the resort contact information, and additional paperwork, such as any exchange agreements. The deed to the property, the membership agreement to the resort, and any financing information, if it is still being financed, are also necessary. You'll also want to gather your maintenance fee information and any real estate taxes.

If you decide to donate a timeshare, instead of selling, you will, in many cases be saving yourself from the time and hassle involved in advertising and marketing your timeshare. In many cases, you will be receiving a tax benefit, plus the gift of donating to charity. While you may not receive the full amount of money you would from selling, you will gain piece of mind.

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We like Maui but are looking for something less expensive and just as nice. Want safe swimming and snorkeling and a great condo with water views. Any recommendations?

Well, it depends on your age and interests. There are many lovely towns in Mexico. Here are a few that are really beautiful:

San Cristobal De las Casas, Chiapas. -> Beautiful highland town with colonial buildings. Fascinating indian villages surround it, while the atmosphere in town is at the same time traditional and cosmopolitan. Not too expensive either.

San Miguel de Allende. -> Situated in Central Mexico. Cobbled streets and old colonial buildings. You get the arid landscape too, lol. Very popular with American retirees.

Playa Del Carmen-> Not so traditionally Mexican, but it has a great setting on the caribbean. Great restaurants and atmosphere. Slightly more expensive. Nice safe, sandy beaches with great diving nearby.

Hope this helps.

http://www.VillaOrleansPR.com is a tropical beachfront vacation home in the country, perfect for nature lovers seeking a quiet seaside retreat. This 5 bedroom villa is large and spacious for couples traveling together or a family reunion.
It has a large deck used for a yoga studio and retreats. http://villaorleanspr.blogspot.com
For Puerto Rico maps, articles and more Rincon Puerto Rico pictures.

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I just booked a vacation rental posted on Craigslist. However, the guy needs me to send $100 deposit for the rental to his PO Box. I'm very skeptical to do this. Are there any kind of protection laws that Craigslist offers in cases like this?

Craigslist does not offer anything but advertising services. They caution you about doing business on the internet. But, that is all that they can do. Asking for a deposit is not all that unusual. If you feel as though you might be getting ripped off, look for another rental. I am sure that you can find one that you might feel more comfortable with.

We would prefer Wailea area and to be on or VERY close to the beach. If you've stayed in places and loved them, please let me know the unit numbers.

i would suggest the Kapalua Villas up near Lahaina. They rent out very large Villas for reasonable rates. Great for a family. The area and the nearby beaches cant be beat….

WATERFRONT HOMES, COTTAGES, CONDOS ON GEORGIA COAST 40 MINUTES SOUTH OF SAVANNAH. VACATION RENTALS BY OWNER SURROUNDED BY NATURE.

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We are looking for next year. Have been to PV before and want to avoid all inclusive. We can't stand the food on AI anymore and PV has the best food in Mexico anyways! We are new RCI members and would like suggestions. It seems like most exchanges are AI. We are not trying to be cheap, but it just doesn't pay for us to go AI anymore.

Villa del Palmar Flamingos has excellent food, beautiful ocean view rooms, gorgeous landscaping. We stayed there in Feb. and would definitely reccomend it.

I'm sure the realtor will say "no," but I haven't signed the contract. I'd appreciate hearing from a realtor or experienced vacation condo renter before I call.

By paying the deposit, you probably agreed to be legally bound to the deal. However, most have an "out" that you can cancel within a certain amount of time before the rental without losing anything. Some will even give you your entire deposit back if you give enough notice. The closer it is to the date, the more you stand to lose. Was there not fine print when you paid the deposit? That is what you are bound by.

I need to book a vacation package to Hawaii. Does anyone know of the best or cheapest websites for discount travel, except for Travelocity, Orbitz, and Expedia. Please let me know from your experience which is best, even if it is among the 3 that I just mentioned. But I'm really looking for one of those sites or companies that people rarely know about (if it exists). Thanks!

PleasantHolidays.com and suntrips.com are the ones I always find the best deals.