Did Oprah Pay The Taxes On The Cars She Gave Away?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The car company also paid the state sales tax on each of the automobiles it donated

. However, that still left the new-car recipients with a large bill for their supposedly free vehicles: Federal and state income taxes added up to about $6,000 for most winners.

Who paid for the cars that Oprah gave away?

The giveaway was sponsored by Pontiac,

a General Motors brand

, as a promotional marketing campaign. While General Motors covered the price tag of $28,500 and the sales tax of $1,800, the gift tax was left for the prize winners to handle.

How did Oprah give away the cars?

Fortunately, according to the Making Oprah podcast, Winfrey’s best friend, Gayle King, was

seated next to

an executive from Pontiac on an airplane one day, and left with an offer to give away 25 cars on the show.

When did Oprah do the car giveaway?

Oprah Winfrey was able to incite all of the above with the excited repetition of just one now-iconic four-word phrase: “You get a car!” The Emmy-winning talk show host would go on to shout the phrase 12 times in total during the

September 13, 2004 season premiere

episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

What has Oprah given away?

In addition to running her own charity foundation, Look to the Stars reports that Oprah Winfrey has made donations to

The Clinton Foundation, Project Cuddle, and Free the Children

.

How many cars does Oprah Winfrey OWN?

US talk-show host Oprah Winfreyk has famously given away brand new cars to her entire audience, but how many cars does the television personality have herself? According to the most recent information on the topic, Oprah Winfrey owns

at least four cars

.

Did Oprah give cars?

On

September 13, 2004

, TV talk-show host Oprah Winfrey gives a brand-new Pontiac G-6 sedan, worth $28,500, to everyone in her studio audience: a total of 276 cars in all.) … It was, as one media expert told a reporter, “one of the great promotional stunts in the history of television.”

Who is Oprah’s audience?

The Oprah Winfrey Show’s target audience is typically

middle-aged women

.

Did Oprah pay for the cars?

Most expenses were paid by the show, but not all. The Oprah Winfrey

Show paid the sales tax and registration for each car

, but not the gift tax, which could be up to $7,000 for some audience members.

When Oprah gave away Pontiac G6 sedans to her TV audience was the value of the cars taxable?

When O “gave away” the new cars to her audience, tax consequences were probably the last thing on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to many, the fair market value of the car was

approximately $28,500

and had to be included in gross income for Federal and State income tax purposes.

How did Oprah get rich?

Born in rural poverty, and raised by a mother dependent on government welfare payments in a poor urban neighborhood, Winfrey became a millionaire at the age of 32

when her talk show received national syndication

. Winfrey negotiated ownership rights to the television program and started her own production company.

Is a Pontiac G6?

Pontiac G6 Designer Jelani Aliyu Body and chassis Class Mid-size car Body style 2-door convertible 2-door coupe 4-door sedan

What was Oprah’s biggest giveaway?

Of course, the most epic giveaway happened back in 2004, when Oprah surprised an audience of 276 people by gifting them brand-new

Pontiac G-6 cars

that reportedly retailed for $28,500 during her “Wildest Dreams Come True” season.

What network is Oprah?

The Oprah Winfrey Show Production companies WLS-TV Chicago (1986–1988) (seasons 1–3) Harpo Productions (1988–2010) (seasons 3–24) Harpo Studios (2010–2011) (season 25) Distributor King World (1986–2007) (seasons 1–22)

CBS Television Distribution

(2007–2011) (seasons 22–25)
Release Original network Syndication

What year did Oprah start her talk show?

On September 8,

1986

, The Oprah Winfrey Show is broadcast nationally for the first time. A huge success, her daytime television talk show turns Winfrey into one of the most powerful, wealthy people in show business and, arguably, one of the most influential women in America.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.