Gift Types
There are only three places where you can distribute your assets or income: family, charity, and the government. That means it is very important to plan ahead. Wise planning may offer many ways for you to support your family, enjoy significant tax savings, or even a secured monthly income, while helping to preserve the right for people to freely live out their faith for generations to come.
Click on the links below to read a brief overview of the most common types of planned gifts for your consideration.
- A Gift in Your Will or Trust
Charitable bequests describe anything you leave to Alliance Defending Freedom in your estate plan through a Will or Trust. (Your "estate" is any property, money, or personal assets you have at the time of your death.) These are among the most important gifts you can make to support the future of religious freedom. You can make arrangements in your estate plan to leave Alliance Defending Freedom a percentage of your estate or a specific dollar amount. Making such a gift for the future allows you to maximize the use of your assets during your life and may reduce estate taxes for your family. To find out how to include a gift for Alliance Defending Freedom in your Will or Trust, please click here.
- Charitable Gift Annuities
A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a contract between you and a charitable organization. In return for your gift, the charity agrees to pay you (and another annuitant if you choose one) a fixed amount – based on your age(s) – for the rest of your life. The benefits of a charitable gift annuity are that it allows you to provide an immediate gift to Alliance Defending Freedom, make a one-time gift, receive a charitable tax deduction, and receive a fixed amount of income for your lifetime.
- Retirement Plans
For many Allied Ministry Friends, retirement assets are a significant part of their estate. These assets are an excellent source of charitable gifts. When an Allied Ministry Friend names Alliance Defending Freedom as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, Alliance Defending Freedom receives the full amount of the gift, as we are exempt from income tax. Also, the Allied Ministry Friend's estate will have no tax liability for any retirement assets that are passed on to Alliance Defending Freedom.
- Appreciated Assets
Giving appreciated assets – like individual stocks or mutual funds – is a great alternative to giving cash. When you give appreciated assets, you receive two tax benefits: a charitable deduction from taxable income, and you will avoid capital gains tax. Instructions on how to donate stocks or mutual funds can be found here.
- Non-Cash Assets
These are sometimes referred to as "gifts-in-kind." These types of assets make great gifts and are very useful to supporting the work of Alliance Defending Freedom. These assets include real estate, vehicles, jewelry, collectibles, equipment, airplanes, business inventory, etc. A gift of these types of assets generally results in a charitable tax deduction of its fair market value.
- Life Insurance Policies
A gift of a life insurance policy may allow you to do more to protect religious liberty than you ever thought possible. By gifting the policy to Alliance Defending Freedom, or naming Alliance Defending Freedom as a beneficiary, you can have a significant impact on the freedoms passed on to your children and grandchildren.
- Charitable Remainder Trusts
A charitable remainder trust may be a great way for you to balance your giving and income goals. It allows you to transfer assets into a trust from which you, or someone you designate, will receive an annual income for a set period of time. At the end of the trust, the remainder is given to Alliance Defending Freedom. A charitable remainder trust may allow you to avoid taxes on the sale of assets as well as give you an immediate tax deduction.
- Charitable Lead Trusts
You may be able to balance your giving and inheritance goals with a charitable lead trust. This tool allows you to transfer your assets to a trust fund that will make donations to Alliance Defending Freedom for a fixed period of time. At the end of the trust, the remaining balance is passed back to you or another family member. A charitable lead trust is particularly helpful if you want to save taxes on the assets you pass to your heirs.
Related Information
Note: This section provides general financial information, not specific financial advice. The material contained in this section does not create or imply an advisor-client relationship with the Alliance Defending Freedom, Inc., or any of its attorneys or allies. For specific questions, consult a qualified financial and/or legal advisor.
