Are
You Paying Taxes on Your Charitable Giving?
Waterville, ME - If you are not strategizing your giving with your
advisors, you may inadvertently be paying tax on your charitable gifts
according
to
Marc A. Pitman, director of the Inland Foundation, Inland Hospital's
fundraising subsidiary, and founder of Fundraisingcoach.com. "Accountants, tax strategists, attorneys,
and insurance agents are not able to read their clients' minds," says
Pitman, "They only know about as much of your personal goals as you
tell them."
For example, Pitman says many well-intentioned donors sell appreciated stock
to be able to pay a pledge or make a gift. This causes them to pay capital gains
on the sale of that stock. "I'm not a tax expert so I recommend donors ask their
advisors-tax, financial, insurance, and legal-before making a gift."
One question Pitman suggests donors ask is whether they should give a gift of
stock to a nonprofit. "Donors are often surprised to learn they can give the
stock to a tax exempt nonprofit, receive full credit for the gift, and avoid
paying capital gains."
In addition to asking for money, Pitman sees his role as fundraiser as encouraging
donors to talk to their team of advisors and helping give them the right questions
to ask. "There's something very incredibly empowering about going to a meeting with an expert
and being armed with strategic questions, even when the expert already has your
best interests at heart."
So be generous with your charitable giving, but be strategic as well.
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