We are grateful for your support
The end of the year feels far away in September. Days are still long, kids are just getting back to school, and pumpkins are somehow already showing up at grocery stores. Then the holidays arrive how they always do, way sooner than expected.
So we started thinking about it early. When year-end giving season comes around, you shouldn’t have to rush to donate the first way that comes to mind. There are more ways to contribute than most people realize, and each one can be useful at different points in your life. Knowing your options now, well before the season sneaks up on you, makes it easier to choose the one that works best for you when the time comes. Below is a simple guide to what’s available, so you can spend more time picking a costume and less time figuring out how to give.
One-time and recurring donations
The most familiar way to give is a direct donation, and can be made once or set to repeat each month. Both can be done online or by check.
If you’d like to give regularly, a recurring gift can be the simpler choice. Rather than deciding on an amount once a year, you spread the same total across twelve months, which can also sit more comfortably in a household budget. You can set it, adjust it, or pause it whenever you like.
Appreciated stock
If you own stock that has grown in value, the shares themselves can be one of the most tax-efficient gifts you can make. Donating them directly, rather than selling them and donating the proceeds, may offer tax benefits that a cash gift does not. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation and claim a charitable deduction.
The exact benefit depends on your individual situation, so it is worth exploring with your tax or financial advisor before you begin.
Donor-advised funds
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a charitable account maintained by a sponsoring organization. Once you have contributed, you can recommend grants to eligible nonprofits over time.
A grant to Shanti Bhavan from a currently funded DAF puts those dollars to work now, without requiring a new contribution. You can submit the recommendation through your provider using our legal name, mailing address, and tax identification number.
Employer matching gifts
Many employers match the donations their employees make, and some extend that to spouses and retirees. A participating company can double the value of your gift at no added cost to you, one of the simplest ways to increase the impact of what you already planned to give.
Some companies also increase their match rate around Giving Tuesday, so your gift could be increased at an even higher rate than usual.
Search for your employer through Double the Donation to see whether you qualify and how to submit a request. Your human resources team may also be able to help for companies not listed there.
Cryptocurrency
If you hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other digital assets, giving the crypto itself, rather than cashing out first, can offer the same kind of tax advantages as donating appreciated stock. You avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation and can still claim a charitable deduction for the full value. A tax professional can tell you what applies to your situation.
Qualified charitable distributions
At 70½ or older, you become eligible for a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD. It lets you direct funds straight from an eligible IRA to an organization like Shanti Bhavan, and it can be a notably tax-efficient way to give. For many donors it also satisfies a required minimum distribution.
Annual limits apply, and your IRA administrator can set up the transfer for you.
Planned and estate gifts
A planned gift lets you support Shanti Bhavan in a meaningful way later while keeping full use of your assets now. Through a will, a trust, a retirement account, or a life insurance policy, you can leave a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or whatever remains in an account. In some cases, these arrangements can also carry tax advantages.
Because a planned gift is part of your broader financial picture, an estate attorney or financial advisor is the right person to help you shape one.
Finding the way that fits
There’s no single best way to give. The right choice depends on the assets you hold, the plans you’ve made, and the degree of impact you’d like to make. For some, that’s the ease of a one-time online gift. For others, a stock transfer, a DAF grant, or a retirement distribution offers additional benefits beyond the gift amount.
If you have questions, I’d be glad to help. You can reach me, Amanda Turner, at [email protected]. However you choose to give, we are grateful for it.
Amanda Turner
Senior Development Officer
