The Perfect Gift
You might want to cut/paste this message to your Sunday bulletin or November newsletter:
“By almost any measure, 2017 has been a terrific year for stocks. Through the end of September, the S&P was up 12.5%, the Dow 13.3% and the Virginia United Methodist Foundation Stock Fund was up a whopping 16.7%! Many of you have experienced similar gains in your personal stock holdings. That’s why NOW might be a perfect time to consider a gift of stock to [your church’s name]. By giving appreciated stock, you get to take the full market value of the stock as a tax deduction, even though the stock may have cost you far less than that. Simply completing the one-page form at https://vaumfoundation.org/GOPT-securities and giving it to your broker or financial institution will get the process started. For further information, contact Ted Soto at 804-521-1122. Don’t wait until Christmas. Plan your gift and tax deduction NOW.”
It really is that simple. The form can be completed in 5 minutes and folks can scan/email it or mail it to their broker or financial advisor. The instructions are on the form, together with a phone number to call in case they or their broker have questions.
The process normally takes about a week. However at year-end, with people off for vacation or year-end holidays, it may take longer. That’s why it’s smart to arrange the gift NOW.
Making the donation NOW also means that folks will know the exact amount of the deduction to include in their year-end tax planning.
Remember too, that someone can fulfill their 2018 pledge to the church and take the tax deduction in 2017. If he/she/they have additional or unusual income for 2017, this would be a perfect way to reduce their tax bill.
People often ask me if I think the stock market will go up. I always answer emphatically Yes! Others ask me if I think the market will go down. Again I answer emphatically, Yes! The truth is, while we know that the market will go up and down, we can’t say for certain where the market will be a year from now. So why not take advantage of where the market is today and make a valuable gift to your church that may have cost you very little. Do it NOW!