Top 10 Year-End Giving Tips

The end of the year is just days away: Have you planned your philanthroping giving for this year; how about 2013?

Richard Bray, Development Director for the Aboretum Foundation in Seattle and member of Seattle Philanthropic Advisors Network, offers Year-End Giving Tips to help track and plan charitable giving.

“These tips help you maximize your charitable deductions and help you advance your values by improving our community in some way whether it be helping the homeless, caring for the environment, fostering spirituality, providing for education or advancing some other cause,” Bray said.

• Donate appreciated Stock/Securities held over a year and be eligible to receive a double tax benefit: Save capital gains tax and get fair market value charitable tax deduction

• Year-end gifts must be U.S. Mail postmarked by December 31 to qualify for 2012

• Use some of your Christmas cash to help a non profit group

• Consider a year-end online donation—10% of all online giving nationwide occurs on the last two days of the year

• Most charities have websites where you can make online gifts at 11:59 pm on Dec. 31 and still count for 2012.

• Volunteer mileage for charity is eligible to be deducted at 14 per mile

• Value of In-kind items in good condition donated to charity by the end of the year is eligible for a charitable tax deduction

• End the year in style by making a gift to a charity that reflects your values

• Reflect on your talents and how they can best help a non profit in the New Year

• Plan your giving for 2013. Consider making a monthly commitment as a New Year’s goal and provide reliable revenue to your favorite charity all year long.

Bray has more than 20 years experience assisting individuals and organizations in charitable giving. He is a member of both the Seattle Philantrophic Advisors Network and the Washington Planned Giving Council. He can help donors with their charitable giving, from straightforward contributions to sophisticated charitable options for immediate gifting or as part of estate planning.

As Development Director for the The Arboretum Foundation, Bray engages people to help preserve and enhance The Arboretum, a 230-acre oasis in the heart of Seattle and northwest treasure. Some 250,000 visitors annually enjoy a renowed collection of trees and shrubs, wetlands, walking trails and new eco-geographic forests. Bray can be reached by phone at 206-577-0549 or via email at rbray@arboretumfoundation.org.