Other Ways to Give to ESLTThere are many ways to support the Eastern Sierra Land Trust — here are some of the most important and advantageous. To learn more about supporting ESLT in the way that makes the most sense for you, please contact us directly at (760) 873-4554. Our financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006 will soon be available for your review. Donating Land | Commemorative Gifts | Donating Stock | Planned Gifts/Estate Planning You can ensure permanent protection for lands and wildlife by donating land directly to ESLT for preservation. California leads the nation in the practice of giving real estate, known as bequeathing. Bequeathing real estate is a powerful method of giving if one doesn’t have other more liquid assets. The real estate may still be enjoyed by the owner until death, at which time the property is given to a qualified 501(c)3 organization such as the Eastern Sierra Land Trust. There are different ways to donate real estate. An outright gift of real property allows the donor to avoid capital gains taxes and take a charitable deduction on the fair market value of the property, up to 30% of the donor’s adjusted gross income. The charitable deduction can be carried over a five-year period. A real estate gift with retained life estate allows the donor to live in the property until death, at which time the property is transferred to a foundation, without going through probate. Tax deductions are calculated at the time the gift is given and are based on current interest rates and the donor’s age. If you are interested in donating property to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust, please call us directly at (760) 873-4554, and consult with an attorney and certified public accountant. You can honor a friend or loved one by making a donation to ESLT in their memory. To learn more, please call us directly at (760) 873-4554. You can give a meaningful gift and gain a substantial tax advantage for yourself by giving stocks or mutual fund shares. The benefits of donating appreciated securities are many, but instead of selling those securities and writing a check for the proceeds, a charitable giving fund may be a more efficient way to make a donation. When appreciated securities are contributed to a charitable giving account, the full fair market value can be deducted without incurring any capital gains liability. (This is in contrast to selling the securities outright and then donating the cash, which would then incur a capital gain.) The lower tax bill means more money to contribute to the land conservation work of the Eastern Sierra Land Trust. Charitable giving funds are usually professionally managed by mutual fund companies and are offered through most financial advisors. A donor can usually decide when and to whom donations should be made from his or her charitable giving fund, although, the specific donation policy should be investigated for each fund. The donor is under no obligation or timeline to exhaust the funds or to keep giving to the same organization. Consider this scenario: Connie Sagebrush invested in a stock at a cost of $50,000. Today the shares are worth $100,000. Connie would like to direct that money to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust’s Mono Basin Program. Connie has two choices: 1) She can sell the stock and donate the cash to the ESLT, in which case (assuming a capital gains rate of 20% on the profit of $50,000), the ESLT will get $90,000, not $100,000. Or 2) Connie can contribute the securities to her charitable giving fund account, where the earnings on her appreciated stock will not be subject to capital gains tax, and she can give the full $100,000 to the ESLT. Another important point to consider is that in a charitable giving fund, the money can be invested and could potentially grow over time, tax free. This scenario could allow Connie to donate a greater total amount to the ESLT than the $100,000 she envisions today. Interested supporters of the Eastern Sierra Land Trust should consult a tax or financial advisor to learn which method of giving is best suited to their unique situation. To learn more, please contact us directly at (760) 873-4554. A popular and easy method of expressing one’s philanthropic wishes is through wills and bequests. Besides the tax benefits of foregoing or drastically lowering inheritance taxes, a bequest of funds to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust enables you to clearly express your wishes to family and friends while allowing for full use of your asset now. Your bequesting wishes are fully revocable, allowing for flexibility in removing bequests altogether, changing recipient organizations, or changing bequest amounts. While making sure your personal and family obligations are first met, the following steps should be taken:
For more information, please call us directly at (760) 873-4554. |