Other ways to give:

Remember: Any prospective donor should always seek the advice of a qualified estate and/or tax professional to determine the consequence of his or her gift. Donors should ideally develop a giving plan that includes the satisfaction of making a gift with a savings on individual and/or estate tax liability. Planning now will allow you to pass your assets as you please to your family and the Scleroderma Foundation.

Giving Now:

Gifts of Cash: Gifts of cash are deductible against your gross income and provide a way to lower your tax liability. The amount of your deduction may vary based on the percentage of your income.

Gifts of Real Estate: By making a gift of property you can avoid capital gains tax while qualifying for a charitable deduction. Property can be gifted so that you may still use the real estate during your life or that of a survivor.

Gifts of Insurance: A policy designating the Scleroderma Foundation as your beneficiary can be deducted against your tax liability.

Gifts of Securities/Stock: A gift of appreciated securities held for more than one year may provide significant benefits to you as a contributor, such as:

• Entitling you to a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the gifted securities as of the date of gift.
• Eliminating capital gains tax that would ordinarily become due if you had sold the appreciated securities on the open market and donated the proceeds from the sale to charity.
• Claiming your charitable deduction against up to 30% of your adjusted gross income. Any unused deductions can be carried forward over the next five years.
• Providing a way to help you to achieve your long-term financial objective of reducing your income and estate taxes.

If you have securities that have declined in value over the years and are interested in donating them to charity, you may find it more advantageous to sell the securities first and contribute the proceeds to charity as opposed to donating the securities outright. This strategy should allow you to claim a deduction for both the loss from the sale of the securities as well as the charitable gift.

If you are considering donating stock that is subject to a cash merger or tender offer, it's important for you to note that you will be subject to tax on the capital gain even though the shares were transferred to us before the tender offer became effective.

You should always consult with your financial advisor before initiating a charitable gift arrangement.

The gifts described above can provide even greater benefits to you with a plan developed incorporating your estate.