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Gifts That Reduce Your Taxes

Gifts of Stock

  • You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities on the date of transfer, no matter what you originally paid for them.
  • You pay no capital gains tax on the transfer when the stock is sold.
  • Giving appreciated stock could be more beneficial than giving cash.
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The gift of an asset, often common stock or mutual fund shares, is a valuable way to make a contribution to Girl Scouts River Valleys. When gifting stock, you can receive an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value, no matter what you originally paid. You will pay no capital gains tax on the transfer, and giving appreciated stock may be more beneficial than giving cash.

You transfer the appreciated stock, bonds, or mutual fund shares that you have owned for more than one year. Girl Scouts River Valleys sells your securities and uses the proceeds for girl programming.

How It Works

To make a gift of appreciated stock, your bank or broker completes an electronic transfer to either of Girl Scouts River Valleys’ brokers listed below. So that we can promptly receive and receipt your gift, alert Girl Scouts River Valleys of your transaction by writing or calling Sara Shaw Meyer at sara.shawmeyer@girlscoutsrv.org or 651-251-1250.

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Donor-Advised Fund

The Girl Scouts River Valleys Donor-Advised Fund Program can serve as an effective, flexible, and efficient vehicle to meet your charitable goals. The fund has been designed to simplify your annual giving by allowing you to contribute appreciated assets when you feel the timing is right, and then make grants over time to the charities of your choice with 30 percent being allocated to Girl Scouts River Valleys and up to 70 percent being allocated to additional organizations you are passionate about. Setting up your account is simple and convenient.

Benefits of the Girl Scouts River Valleys Donor-Advised Fund Program:

  • Ability to donate complex and privately held assets
  • Wide range of investment options
  • Convenient online access and service
  • Low minimums to open and provide grants

If you already have a Donor-Advised Fund and would like to make a gift to Girl Scouts River Valleys, contact Sara.ShawMeyer@girlscoutsrv.org.

How it Works
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Donations: A donor makes an irrevocable tax-deductible donation to Girl Scouts River Valleys Donor-Advised Fund Program.

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Investments: The donor works with their trusted financial professional to recommend a strategy to grow their charitable assets.

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Grants: The donor recommends grants to their favorite qualified charities, including Girl Scouts River Valleys.

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IRA Charitable Rollover or Qualified Charitable Distribution

  • Your gift will be put to use today allowing you to see the difference your donation is making for girls.
  • You pay no income taxes on your gift. The gift generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction.
  • IRA Charitable Rollover gifts count toward your annual minimum required distribution (MRD).
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The IRA Charitable Rollover or Qualified Charitable Distribution allows taxpayers age 70.5 or older to make tax-free transfers (of up to $100,000 per year) directly from their IRA to charities. You can make distributions directly to one or more charities from your IRA, as long as you are 70.5 years old when you transfer the gifts. Such gifts can be made without increasing your taxable income or withholding. Additionally, funds transferred will count toward your minimum required distribution (MRD).

How It Works

Certain limitations apply to these non-taxable charitable distributions from an IRA:

  • You must be at least 70.5 years of age when the gift is transferred.
  • Total gifts cannot exceed $100,000 per year, per IRA owner or beneficiary. (Legally married couples with separate IRAs could give up to $200,000 per year.)
  • Gifts must be made directly from your IRA to a charity, and cannot be made to a private foundation, a supporting organization, or a donor advised fund.
  • The gifts must be outright. For instance, they cannot be used to establish a charitable gift annuity or fund a charitable remainder trust.

Checks may be mailed to our St. Paul Service Center:

Girl Scouts River Valleys
Attention: Development
400 Robert Street South
St. Paul, MN 55107

 

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Life Insurance Policy

  • Make a gift using an asset that you and your family no longer need.
  • Receive an income tax deduction.
  • In some cases, you can use the cash value in your policy to fund a life-income gift.
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If you are thinking about a contribution to Girl Scouts, a gift of your life insurance could be a sensible, as well as generous, course of action. If you are unable to donate other assets, a gift of life insurance could fit your needs and ours.

If you transfer ownership of the policy to Girl Scouts River Valleys, you will normally receive an income tax deduction for the policy’s fair market value, on the date of the gift. If you name us beneficiary of the policy (and retain ownership), you won’t be eligible for current tax benefits because the gift is revocable at any time. Whether you name us as an owner or name us as a beneficiary, your estate will not pay estate taxes on the policy proceeds we receive.

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Retained Life Estate

  • You can give us a significant asset but retain the security of using it for the rest of your life.
  • You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of the appraised value of your property.
  • You can terminate your life estate at anytime; the property would transfer to Girl Scouts River Valleys at that time and you may receive an additional income tax deduction OR you and River Valleys may jointly decide to sell the property and prorate the sale proceeds.
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If the tax advantages that a charitable gift of real estate would offer appeal to you, but you want to continue living in your personal residence for your lifetime, there is an option of a retained life estate.

A gift of the title to your residence, farm, or vacation home to Girl Scouts River Valleys may result in a charitable deduction on your income tax return, with a reservation to live there for the rest of your life. Continue to live in the property for life or a specified term of years, with responsibility for all taxes and upkeep; the property then passes to Girl Scouts River Valleys when your life estate ends.

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Charitable Lead Trust

  • Income payments to us for a term reduce the ultimate tax cost of transferring an asset to your heirs.
  • The amount and term of the payments to Girl Scouts River Valleys can be set so as to reduce or even eliminate transfer taxes due when the principal reverts to your heirs.
  • All appreciation that takes place in the trust goes tax-free to the individuals named in your trust.
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The lead trust is an exceptional way to transfer property to your children or other heirs at minimal tax cost. It is ideal if you are willing to forgo investment income on an asset but do not want to have estate taxes reduce the principal passed to heirs.

Your contribution of securities or other appreciating assets through a Charitable Lead Trust will result in annual payments from the trust to Girl Scouts River Valleys for a period of time. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal is paid to your heirs.

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The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.

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Donate to Girl Scouts River Valleys
Girl Scout River Valleys is a Guide Star Gold Participant
Girl Scout River Valleys is a Guide Star Gold Participant
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