planned

giving

gifts of appreciated assets

The gift of an appreciated asset, often common stock or mutual fund shares, is a valuable way to make a contribution to Denver Botanic Gardens and receive tax benefits based on the value of the asset(s) instead of their cost and avoids tax on any capital gains.

Another value to using appreciated securities instead of an anticipated gift of cash is to increase the cost or basis value of securities you want to hold for further appreciation. Suppose you hold a number of shares of a startup company and have a cost basis greatly below the current market value. Anything you sold would be subject to capital gains. But, suppose you gave some or all of the stock to charity and then purchased the same number of shares at the current value in the marketplace. It would be similar to giving that amount of money to charity. But instead, you now have shares of stock with a current basis and you have significantly reduced your future capital gains liability on those shares. And, you have a charitable gift deduction equal to the current value of the stock you gave.

While the gift of appreciated assets often involves stock, other marketable assets (called tangible personal property) can be utilized as gifts with the possibility of tax benefits. However, these other assets are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. For more information about gifts of appreciated assets, please contact us so we can respond to your specific needs.

For more information about planned giving options, or if you would like an illustration of life income to address your particular situation, please contact the Capital and Major Gift Manager at 720-865-3511 or e-mail development@botanicgardens.org.

Please note, individual financial circumstances will vary. The information on this site does not constitute legal or tax advice. As with all tax and estate planning, please consult your attorney or estate specialist. All material is copyrighted and is for viewing purposes only. The content in this Planned Giving section has been developed for Denver Botanic Gardens by Future Focus. Please report any technical problems to Future Focus webmaster.