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Give through your IRA

More and more donors are finding the most cost-effective way to give is through their IRAs. Doing so reduces their tax burden while allowing them to invest in the ministry of Interserve.

Once IRA holders reach their seventies (the actual age depends on your birthdate), the government requires that they withdraw a specified amount each year from their IRA. This distribution counts as taxable income. As an alternative, the government allows IRA holders to instead contribute to an approved non-profit like Interserve directly from their IRA account. Doing so meets the withdrawal requirement but avoids receiving the funds as personal income. While contributions made this way do not qualify as tax deductions, it still may be advantageous in lowering your total tax bill.

If you do not need the income and want to avoid additional taxes, this may be a good way for you to fund your contribution to Interserve.

If you would like to contribute to Interserve directly from your IRA, you should:

  1. Contact your IRA administrator and let them know your plans.
  2. Write a check directly from your retirement fund payable to Interserve USA and mail it to us at P.O. Box 418, Upper Darby, PA 19082.
  3. Let our finance team know it is coming so they can provide you appropriate financial documentation. You can do that by clicking on the button below or by emailing Rob Dolan at Rob.Dolan@InterserveUSA.org
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Give Non-Cash items

When Christians give to non-profits they care about, most simply give from their income or cash reserves. However, this is not always the best plan of stewardship for the giver.

Giving appreciated assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate provide double tax benefits not available when giving cash. You not only receive a charitable deduction for the fair market value of your gift, but you also avoid capital gains tax.

As stewards in God’s kingdom, we should take advantage of tax incentives available to us in order to harness as much as possible for the Lord’s work and our families. So, if you’re thinking of selling an appreciated asset and you want to give back to the Lord, we can assist you in developing the best plan of stewardship.

There are numerous options in how to structure a gift to allow the donation of part of the asset's value. Here are a couple examples:

Part Gift/Part Sale

Let’s say, for instance, you have 500 acres of appreciated farmland you want to sell. Prior to entering into a sale agreement, you could gift 250 acres to ministry. Then you and the ministry would sell the property together. You would receive a tax deduction for the fair market value of your gift and avoid 50% of your capital gains tax upon sale. These tax savings could then be used to help offset, or possibly eliminate, the capital gains tax on the portion of the property you kept for yourself.

Gift and Income Stream

Using the scenario above, you could also gift all or part of the farmland into a charitable trust and sell the land in the tax-free environment of the trust. The trust would be designed to pay you income for life or a term of years. When the trust terminates, the funds remaining in it become a gift to your favorite ministries. Through this gifting option, you also avoid the capital gains tax and receive a charitable deduction for your generous gift.

Want to know more? Contact us to discuss the possibilities.

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Use your Will to Honor the Lord

Your Will gives your last words to your loved ones. A well-constructed Will allows you to give words of blessing and instruction and is an opportunity to honor the Lord. You can articulate the things that matter most to you.

One retired minister instructed that his estate be tithed and the funds given to the overseas workers he had shepherded. Carrying out his request, his family was astounded to find that many of the recipients reported they had been praying specifically for funds of the amount they received. Hearing those reports blessed his descendants and grew their faith.

Including Interserve in your Will can be a way of thanking the Lord for his blessing on your life and a way to ensure that you continue to participate in this vital ministry.

We'd be happy to talk with you about how to tailor your Will. Just click the button below to set up a conversation.

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Leave a Legacy of Faithfulness

Would you like to know how you can use tools such as gift annuities, charitable trusts, life insurance proceeds and more to care for your loved ones and to make a lasting contribution in Christ's work of reconciliation? Let us connect you to estate planning experts who, as our gift to you, can provide a free consultation on your options. Some tools can even provide income for you now while assuring the remainder will be used to serve marginalized people in the name of Jesus.