GOAL: Make a quick and simple gift.

HOW TO GIVE: Transfer stock or mutual funds to your church.

BENEFITS: Donor avoids capital gains taxes and receives an income tax deduction while the church sells shares tax-free.

GOAL: Avoid capital gains tax on the sale of a home or other real estate.

HOW TO GIVE: Donate your property to your church.

BENEFITS: Immediate income tax deduction and avoidance of capital gains tax.

GOAL: Make a gift that allows flexibility and your input on how funds will be distributed.

HOW TO GIVE: Create an agreement whereby the Foundation manages the assets - you and/or your family members advise the Foundation regarding charitable disbursements.

BENEFITS: Immediate income tax deduction, flexibility, and an opportunity to practice philanthropy on a regular basis.

GOAL: Make a significant gift with little cost to yourself.

HOW TO GIVE: Designate your church as a beneficiary.

BENEFITS: Future gift to the church.

GOAL: Give your personal residence or farm, but continue to live there.

HOW TO GIVE: Designate the ownership of your home to church but retain occupancy.

BENEFITS: Charitable income tax deduction and lifetime use of your home.

GOAL: Avoid taxation on retirement plan assets.

HOW TO GIVE: Name your church as beneficiary of the remainder of the assets after your lifetime.

BENEFITS: Avoidance of heavily taxed gift to heirs.

GOAL: Defer a gift until after your lifetime.

HOW TO GIVE: Leave your legacy and remind loved ones of your faith by tithing part of your estate to the church. A bequest can be specific amount or asset, or a percentage of your estate. A residual bequest assigns the amount left in the estate after all other distributions have been made.

BENEFITS: Your estate receives a tax deduction. The church receives your gift when the estate is settled.

GOAL: Make a deferred gift, maintain access to assets, and avoid probate.

HOW TO GIVE: Donor places assets into a trust and retains control during lifetime. Foundation becomes trustee upon death of the donor and makes distributions as directed by donor.

BENEFITS: Privacy, flexibility, control of trust for lifetime, and possible estate tax savings.

GOAL: Supplement income with fixed annual payment.

HOW TO GIVE: Enter into a contract with the Foundation. Foundation pays you fixed payments for life and distributes remainder to church and other charitable beneficiaries.

BENEFITS: Charitable income tax deductions, fixed annuity payments for (portion tax-free), and future gift to church.

GOAL: Supplement income with fixed annual payments.

HOW TO GIVE: Create a charitable trust that pays you a fixed income.

BENEFITS: Charitable income tax deduction, fixed income for life, and future gift to church.

GOAL: Create a hedge against inflation over the long term.

HOW TO GIVE: Create a trust that pays you a percentage of the trust’s assets, which is valued annually.

BENEFITS: Immediate income tax deduction and annual income for life that has potential to increase.

GOAL: Reduce gift and estate taxes on assets passing on to heirs.

HOW TO GIVE: Create a trust that pays a fixed or variable income to your church or ministry for a set period of time that then passes to heir.

BENEFITS: Reduces size of taxable estate and keeps property in family (often with reduced gift taxes).