Stock Gifts
Publicly traded securities held for more than one year—such as stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and mutual funds—are the non-cash assets most frequently donated to charities. Why is this? It’s probably because these assets are widely owned by donors and easily transferred to charities.
What’s more, if you itemize deductions on your tax return instead of taking the standard deduction, donating these assets can unlock additional funds for charity in two ways. First, you potentially eliminate the capital gains tax you would incur if you sold the assets yourself and donated the proceeds, which may increase the amount available for charity by up to 20%. Second, you may claim a fair market value charitable deduction for the tax year in which the gift is made and may choose to pass on that savings in the form of more giving.
Download the guidelines for making gifts of stock or securities to the ECU Foundation, ECU Health Foundation, or ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club).