Options to Plan Your Gift

• Cash
• Tangible Personal Property
• Appreciated Securities
• Retirement Plan Assets
• Life Insurance
• Real Estate

OUTRIGHT GIFT OF CASH
The Power of a Simple Gift
One of the easiest and most common ways for you to support The Compass School of Texas is with a gift of cash. Cash can be used to support our work in the form of: An outright gift. By making a cash gift by check, credit card or money order today, you enable us to meet our most urgent needs and carry out our mission on a daily basis. You will have the opportunity to see your generosity in action and will also receive a federal income tax charitable deduction, when you itemize.

A payable on death (POD) account. A POD bank account or certificate of deposit names one or more persons or charities as the beneficiary of all funds once you, the account owner, pass away. The beneficiary you name has no rights to the funds until after your lifetime. Until that time, you remain in control and are free to use the money in the bank account, change the beneficiary or close the account.

There are several other ways to make cash donations as part of the gift types below. 

• A gift in your will or living trust.
  You can leave a gift to Compass in your will. You may also want the flexibility to change your will if life circumstances change. You can do both. In as little as one sentence, you can complete your gift. This type of donation to Compass in your will or living trust helps ensure that we continue our mission for years to come.
• A charitable gift annuity.
• A charitable remainder trust.
• A charitable lead trust.
• A donor advised fund.
• Memorial and tribute gifts.
• An endowed gift.

TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY

OUTRIGHT GIFT OR BARGAIN SALE
Turn Your Treasures Into a Charitable Legacy
Your treasures like valuable antiques, stamp and coin collections, works of art, cars, boats, and other personal property can make suitable charitable gifts today or after your lifetime. The financial benefits of the gift depend on whether we can use the property in a way that is related to our mission.

Related use property-e.g., a piece of artwork donated to an art museum-is deductible at the full fair market value. Any other property is deemed nonrelated use property and the deduction would be limited to the lesser of fair market value or your tax basis in the property.

If the federal income tax charitable deduction claimed for a gift of tangible personal property exceeds $5,000, you must obtain an appraisal from a qualified appraiser and submit a special IRS form with the tax return on which the deduction is claimed.

Ways to Use Property as a Donation
An outright gift. This allows you to benefit our work today and receive a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize.

A gift in your will or living trust. You can leave a legacy at The Compass School of Texas by donating property to us through your will or living trust.

A bargain sale. You can sell us your property for less than the fair market value of the item. For example, if you sell us an antique for $25,000 that is worth $50,000, you will receive a federal income tax charitable deduction of $25,000 plus the payment from us of $25,000.

A memorial or tribute gift. If you have a friend or family member who you would like to honor, consider making a gift to us in his or her name.

An endowed gift. Create an endowment or contribute to one that is already established to ensure that your support of Compass will last forever.

A charitable gift annuity. You can sometimes use non-income producing property such as valuable stamp and coin collections or works of art in exchange for life payments and a federal income tax charitable deduction. The amount of the charitable deduction depends, in part, on whether the donated items are retained by the charity and used for its tax-exempt purpose.

A charitable remainder trust. You may be able to contribute tangible personal property to a charitable remainder trust. If you or a family member is an income beneficiary, you will receive a federal income tax charitable deduction when the property is sold. An additional contribution of cash or appreciated securities is recommended to cover expenses until the tangible personal property is sold.

OUTRIGHT GIFT OF APPRECIATED SECURITIES

Receive a Tax Deduction for Using These as Gifts
Securities and mutual funds that have increased in value and been held for more than one year are one of the most popular assets to use when making a gift to The Compass School of Texas. Making a gift of securities or mutual funds to us offers you the chance to support our work while realizing important benefits for yourself.

When you donate appreciated securities or mutual funds you have held more than one year to us in support of our mission, you can reduce or even eliminate federal capital gains taxes on the transfer. You may also be entitled to a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the fair market value of the securities at the time of the transfer.

Securities are most often used to support our work in the form of:

An outright gift. When you donate securities to Compass, you receive the same income tax savings that you would if you wrote us a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20 percent.

A transfer on death (TOD) account.* By placing a TOD designation on your brokerage or investment account, that account will be paid over to one or more persons or charities after your lifetime.

*State laws govern payable-on-death accounts. Please consult with your bank representative or investment advisor if you are considering this gift.

A donor advised fund. Gifts to donor advised funds are not limited to cash and securities. Tangible personal property such as valuable antiques, stamp and coin collections, art, cars and boats may be able to be gifted and sold to benefit your fund.