Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds

Publicly traded securities are the most common form of non-cash charitable gifts. You may find that securities are the most attractive assets to give, because they are often highly appreciated, easily transferred, and in most cases, easily valued for deduction purposes without the need for a formal appraisal. The most common forms of securities gifts are shares of stock, bonds, and shares of mutual funds. If you gift publicly traded securities you have owned for at least one year, you will be eligible for a deduction for the full market value of the security on the date GeoVi's Home for New Life receives it.  The appreciation (gain) on these gift securities is not subject to taxation.  You also may be able to earn an income from your gift through one of our Life Income Plans.

Real Estate

A gift of real estate can be an attractive way to make a substantial commitment to GeoVi's Home for New Life.

A personal residence may be an ideal gift under the right circumstances.  A personal residence may take the form of a single-family house, a condominium, or a duplex. It may be owner-occupied or may be rented. If you give your residence outright to GeoVi's Home for New Life, you receive a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of your residence, less any debt. You also avoid capital gains tax, if any, on the amount your residence has increased in value since you purchased it, and you are not subject to gift or estate taxes since the value of your residence is removed from your estate.

Another option with a personal residence is to retain a life estate in the property allowing you the use and enjoyment of the home for your lifetime.  Upon your death, the property would then pass to your designated charity.  In this instance, you will remove the property from your taxable estate, if applicable, and will be eligible for a charitable gift deduction on your income tax return for a discounted value of your property.

Commercial, rental or vacation property is a gift you can make to GeoVi's Home for New Life. In your real estate portfolio, you may have properties from which you have received significant rental income and depreciation benefits. These commercial properties may now present undesirable challenges, including the need for time-consuming management, an obligation to pay increased maintenance costs, and the prospect of substantial capital gains taxes if the property were sold. By giving your real estate to GeoVi's Home for New Life, you are relieved of management responsibilities, avoid capital gains taxes, reduce your estate tax, and fulfill your charitable and family objectives.

Vacant land may also make and excellent charitable gift particularly if it is coupled with a Life Income option that provides future cash flow to the donor and potential immediate income tax deductions. You also may be able to earn an income from your gift through one of our Life Income Plans.

Closely held Business Interests, Equipment or Assets

Gifts of closely held business interests achieve both financial and charitable goals. The proper charitable plan can unlock assets, effectively transferring ownership to another person, and avoid capital gain tax - all while providing a lasting and meaningful gift to  GeoVi's Home for New Life or to your donor - advised fund.

While there are ready markets for publicly traded securities and most real estate, there is a tremendous amount of capital invested in holdings that are not readily marketable. The most common are closely held interests owned by the principals of the subject business.  In addition to this lack of liquidity, typically there are two primary consequences if the capital structure of a closely held business is altered: taxes are imposed at both the corporate and personal level, and control of the business is endangered. If a portion of the business is transferred outright to  GeoVi's Home for New Life, significant taxes may be avoided.

GeoVi's Home for New Life could sell the interest back to the corporation, the employees, the heirs, other shareholders, or a combination of all four, effectively transferring control. This strategy outlines the goal of a successful closely held business transaction: to free-up capital in a tax advantaged way via a strategic transfer of control.  Please contact our office for further details.  Other gift planning strategies could be employed to significantly reduce or eliminate gift or estate taxes while maintaining family control of the business.  Please contact your legal counsel about the applicability of this type of charitable gift to your own particular situation.