Give More to Church and Reduce Your Taxes
Is this possible?
Donating appreciated stock is a tax-smart, easy way to give more to causes you care about, like Babylon United Methodist Church. If you have a stock portfolio, you are likely meeting with your financial advisor at least annually to rebalance your portfolio so that you can maximize performance and optimize it for risk. And yet, many people have not considered donating stock because they think it will require a lot of paperwork and phone calls. It’s intimidating.
Give More
By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are giving 20 percent more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation. The reason is that you are avoiding capital gains taxes. By donating stock directly to Babylon UMC, there’s no capital gains tax to pay and you are still eligible to deduct the full fair-market value of the stock you donated from your income taxes.
Reduce Future Capital Gains
Many investors have stocks that they believe in and want to hold for the long term. As a result, it could set the stage for substantial gains when you sell. You may want to consider donating some of your appreciated shares and then buying new shares to reset your cost basis at a higher price. This would reduce your future capital gains tax exposure if the stock continues to grow.
Donate Stocks Efficiently and Effectively
Babylon UMC has partnered with the United Methodist Frontier Foundation to help you donate stock easily without feeling intimidated.
Instructions-for-making-a-stock-gift.pdf