Gift Strategy
For years, the Foundation has been working with individuals, couples, and families who want to be charitable and make a difference in the lives of others. We offer professional guidance and consultation at no cost.
Ways To Give
We’re here to help you discover the best gift strategies to meet your goals, from gifts that provide tax benefits to those that establish life income. We will always work with you to develop a personalized plan that’s right for your financial situation and gift. Here is an overview of some of the strategies we can utilize.
A pass-through gift is one that comes from the donor, passes through the Foundation, and is then gifted to another beneficiary of the donor’s choosing. This strategy is best utilized when donating non-cash assets.
Benefits:
- Simplifies the giving process for you and your beneficiary
- The Foundation handles all of the details related to facilitating the gift
- The Foundation provides this service for free, so 100% of the donation goes to the chosen beneficiary
A Charitable Wealth Transfer Plan (CWTP), created between a donor and The Catholic Foundation, is a detailed plan to gather the donor’s gifted assets at death, liquidate them at fair market value, and then distribute monetary gifts to Church entities, other charitable entities, or charitable funds, at the direction of the donor and according to his or her detailed wishes.
Benefits:
- Any asset that can be liquidated at fair market value (converted to cash) can be included in the plan
- The Foundation will assist in completing any paperwork needed to ensure the gifted asset will be transferred to the Foundation at death
- Once all assets are gathered following the donor’s passing, the Foundation handles the details, relieving the burden from surviving family members
- The Charitable Wealth Transfer Plan is a legally binding agreement, which gives the donor peace of mind knowing his or her exact wishes will be fulfilled
- The plan can be modified at any time free of charge
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is established with a minimum $5,000 donation to the Foundation. The fund immediately begins to generate a market rate of return from Foundation investments. Then you, as the donor, can request distributions from the fund according to the timing and amount you desire.
Benefits:
- Can donate any liquid asset to the DAF, including grain, stock, cash, or real estate
- Make multiple distributions from one central fund that is managed by the Foundation
- Receive one gift acknowledgement rather than many
A Donor Designated Fund (DDF) is similar to a Donor Advised Fund, but a DDF designates one organization as the sole beneficiary of the fund. This beneficiary designation allows the fund to accept gifts from an IRA in addition to other liquid assets.
Benefits:
- Benefits one charity of your choice
- Can donate Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) to the DDF in addition to any liquid asset
- Receive one gift acknowledgement rather than many
Endowments create an ongoing revenue stream for charities in perpetuity. Up to 5% of the earnings are distributed annually while protecting the principal of your gift. You can fund the endowment now, or later from your estate. Once established, fund earnings support any non-profit entity(ies) you choose. An endowment can be started with a minimum of $10,000.00.
Benefits:
- The Foundation manages the fund and distributes ongoing income to your selected beneficiary organization
- Creating an endowed fund lets you give the fund a name that is meaningful to you, or honor someone in memory or tribute
- To encourage additional support and funding, the Foundation raises awareness of the endowments we manage through our website, and marketing materials
This is a contribution that pays you. You receive a lifetime income stream from your charitable gift at a higher rate of return than CDs and many other fixed-income investments. Plus, part of your income is tax-free. One benefit unique to the Foundation is that a gift is given immediately to your charity instead of at your passing.
Benefits:
- Nearly any asset or cash can be used to fund a charitable gift annuity
- Guaranteed lifetime income for you and/or your spouse
- Charitable tax deduction
- Part of your income is tax-free
- An immediate proportional gift
Did you know you can gift your home to your parish and continue living in it until you and/or your spouse pass away? You’ll also receive a charitable deduction now for gifting your home or farm.
Benefits:
- Make a substantial and meaningful contribution to charity with a gift of real property rather than cash
- Donate a residence, vacation home, or farmland
- Receive a tax deduction now and eliminate estate taxes later
- Use your tax deduction for up to six years
- Continue to live or work on the property or land – or you can rent, sell, or develop it
- The charity can use the gifted property for a purpose you direct
- Your family won’t need to sell the real estate after your passing
- Avoid capital gains tax on an appreciated property
Avoid losing money to income tax on the sale of depreciated assets, or to capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated assets, by placing the asset into a charitable trust. The trust sells the asset and pays you an income for a period of years. The remainder is then distributed to your charity(ies) of choice.
Benefits:
- Fund this trust with cash, a business, stocks, grain, and appreciated or depreciated assets
- Limit potential income and estate taxes
- Choose the percentage of annual income and period of years for the trust
- Choose a trusted person to serve as the trustee or you can serve as trustee
“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”
