Gifts of Appreciated Securities

Smart gift planning combines charitable intent with cost-efficient planning techniques. Of critical importance is the kind of asset used to fund the gift. Usually, long-term appreciated property can generate the most favorable tax benefits. Reason: Gifts of such property provide a double benefit—a charitable deduction, in most cases, for the full fair-market value of the property—plus avoidance of any potential capital-gain tax.

The chart below illustrates the additional tax savings from a gift of appreciated assets.

		Cash	Appreciated Property
A.	Fair-Market Value	$10,000	$10,000
B.	Cost Basis	10,000	4,000
C.	Capital Gain	0	6,000
D.	Capital-Gain Tax (15%)	0	900
E.	Charitable Deduction	10,000	10,000
F.	Actual Tax Savings* (24%)	2,400	2,400
G.	Total Tax Savings (D+F)	2,400	3,300

*The exact amount that can be claimed as a charitable deduction depends on two factors: the total amount of charitable gifts a donor makes in a given tax year (including the deduction described here) and the donor’s adjusted gross income.

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