Cash gifts are the most common form of giving and are all greatly appreciated. Gifts as little as $100 per year qualify as a membership in the organization.
Please contact the Winter Show office to make a donation or become a Friend of the Winter Show.
Matching Gifts:
Your gift can double your money in many cases if you or your spouse work for a company that provides matching gifts. Ask your employer if this option is available to you.
Life Income Options:
Yes, you can receive an income as a result of making a charitable gift to us. Fixed or variable...for you or your beneficiaries...it is your decision. One example is a charitable remainder trust whereby you can gift appreciated assets to the charitable remainder trust. By doing this you may potentially bypass capital gains tax, receive an income tax deduction, and receive income for doing so.
Gifts of Farms or Homes:
If you own your home or farm you may be able to make a gift of the property and receive immediate tax deductions and still continue to use the property for as long as you wish. Simply put, you give the property to us, but retain the right to use it for your life. You can continue to live in your home or work your farm, just as you did before. Only after your death will we assume the usual ownership rights to the property.
Gifts by Will or Living Trust:
This is perhaps the most common way to provide assistance to your favorite charity. With a gift of this type, you retain full use of your property during your life. You may prefer to make a general bequest for a specific amount - which means that in most cases it is considered a primary gift against your estate and will most likely be fulfilled. There are a number of other arrangements that can be made to establish a gift through your will or a living trust.
Gifts of Life Insurance:
While we may think of life insurance for our families, you can also contribute a life insurance policy to us by naming us as the owner and beneficiary of the policy. In doing so, you are entitled to an income tax deduction based on the lower of either the value of the policy or your cost basis. When you continue to pay premiums on the policy that you have presented to us, you can deduct the premium payments made. Your insurance agent can provide you with the necessary forms to change the beneficiary and ownership designations.
Gifts of Appreciated Securities:
If you have marketable securities that have grown substantially in value, tax laws make is possible for you to make an important gift to our program. If you have owned the property more than one year, the gift is deductible in the year of the gift. No matter how much the property has appreciated in value, you pay no capital gains tax on your paper profit. The timing of your gift is often crucial. The value of the stocks [for the purpose of tax deductions is set by the value of the securities on the day the gift is transferred into our books. If you are considering a gift of this nature, please contact us to determine how best to proceed with the transfer process.