Do You Know the Most Advantageous Assets to Give?
Do You Know the Most Advantageous Assets to Give?
When a donor is contemplating a gift, there are multiple considerations. The first two are the most important: the “who” and the “why.”
The “who” consists of who is making a gift and who is the recipient. The why is the motivation for making a gift to someone or something that is important to you. In the case of gifts to the Boys and Girls Clubs of East County Foundation, the general motivation is a desire to have a positive impact on the young people we serve and to help prepare them for responsible and productive adulthood.
Another important consideration is which asset will be chosen to make a gift.
Most of the gifts we receive are in the form of cash. These gifts can be small or large, and may be completed by check, credit card or electronic transfer. This year, individuals or couples can give $1,000 or $2,000 a year in cash (depending on their filing status) and claim a special universal deduction even if they do not itemize their deductions! This is great news for most people who take the standarddeduction for income tax purposes. If you plan to itemize your income tax deductions, other important incentives remain for charitable gifts.
It’s important to keep careful records and charitable acknowledgments for use on your 2026 return, whether you itemize charitable gifts or take advantage of the new non-itemizer deduction (FYI- Cash gifts to donor advised funds do not qualify for the universal deduction!).
Other noncash gifts can also support the Boys and Girls Club of East County Foundation. For example, individuals and businesses often donate items for our auctions and special events, such as our annual golf tournament. These gifts play an important role in supporting our programs, while also helping attract broader participation. Many donors are first introduced to our organization through these events. They then gain a better understanding of how we serve young people through after-school and other programs. That mission has guided our work for more than 60 years, and many of these donors go on to become loyal supporters. Special rules apply to these types of noncash gifts. They are a welcome source of support that may also provide tax savings.
We also accept gifts of publicly traded securities and real estate. Appreciated securities can generate a tax deduction for itemizers and bypass capital gains if they have been held for longer than a year. In the case of real estate, a qualified appraisal is usually required.
People give what they have, whether it be time, talent or treasure (or all three). Regardless of their tax treatment, these gifts all have an impact on the young people and families we serve, and we greatly appreciate your role in making this possible.
If you have any questions about whether a particular asset might be an appropriate gift to the Boys and Girls Club of East County Foundation, please contact us. In the meantime, we will endeavor to begood stewards of every gift, whether it is a simple check or other asset.
Contact Us
If you have already included us in your plans, please consider letting us know so we can acknowledge you. Our Executive Director, Forrest Higgins, can be reached at 619-440-1600 or forrest@bgcec.org; thank you!