By suggesting charitable giving as part of a financial or estate plan, you're providing an important service to the community — and to your client. You might find that your clients are just waiting for you to suggest ways they can give back to the community and create a legacy. By discussing charitable giving, you'll be providing a value-added service that will be appreciated by your clients and the nonprofits that benefit from their gifts.
The Columbia Foundation provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. To help your clients reap all the benefits of this rewarding type of philanthropy, listen for charitable giving opportunities like these…
- Estate planning: Charitable giving is an essential part of any estate planning toolkit, and The Columbia Foundation offers many ways of setting up funds to benefit donors, their heirs — and the community.
- Year-end tax planning: Establishing a fund in our endowment provides an immediate tax deduction.
- Appreciated stock: Transferring appreciated stock to the Foundation avoids capital gains entirely on the gift and provides a tax benefit on the appreciated value.
- An unexpected windfall: Your client can share the good fortune of an inheritance or an especially large bonus with the community while receiving maximum tax benefits.
- Family philanthropy: Giving through The Columbia Foundation is a great way to get entire families involved in giving decisions. We can help match their passions to worthy causes.
Benefits of Giving Today
By establishing a fund today, your client can support favorite charities during their lifetimes, add to their funds each year, recommend grants on a regular basis, and name the fund in their wills. Named funds can be opened with just $10,000, which can be paid in a lump sum or in installments as part of a multi-year commitment. See Types of Funds for the kinds of funds available.
The Columbia Foundation is a publicly-supported charity, and therefore offers your clients the maximum charitable tax deduction permitted by law. Gifts are deductible at the time they are made to the Foundation, and your client is then able to make grants at times and in amounts most advantageous to them and the charitable organizations they support. We accept cash, publicly traded stock, retirement plan assets, life insurance, closely held stock, and fractional or whole interests in real estate.
Benefits of Planning for Tomorrow
With a planned gift through The Columbia Foundation, your client can foster those things they love most in the community and preserve them for future generations. We can help them prioritize their goals for social impact while achieving the most favorable income tax benefits available.
We work with you, the planning professional or tax advisor, to determine the type of gift that is right for the client. Charitable trusts, will bequests, beneficiary designations on retirement assets or life insurance proceeds can fulfill your client's wishes for the future and can often be structured to allow your client to receive lifetime income.