As a donor, we encourage you to use the full "menu" of giving vehicles to realize your philanthropic goals. We can help you establish and make additions to your fund using both current and deferred gifts.

Current Gifts

Appreciated property (publicly traded stock, closely held stock, real estate)

Contributing stocks, bonds, mutual funds or real estate to your fund may provide you with an income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the gift and eliminate all capital gains taxes. This would allow you to make a substantially greater gift (typically between 45-70 percent) than otherwise would have been possible for the same out-of-pocket cost.

Private Foundations

Your existing private foundations may also be converted into your donor advised fund or into a supporting organization within The Community Foundation. This enables you to retain the name and purpose of the private foundation while alleviating the administrative and compliance functions.

Deferred Gifts (Planned Gifts)

Numerous deferred gift options exist within The Community Foundation. For all gift plans we strongly encourage you to meet with your professional advisors prior to executing any gifts. The options are described below.

Making a provision for The Community Foundation in your estate or financial plans will qualify you for membership in our Legacy Society. Visit this page to learn more.

Bequest

A bequest to The Community Foundation is as simple as adding a codicil to your will. This is the most common planned gift and it may provide you with valuable estate tax savings.

Bequests can be in the form of:

• a stated dollar amount or specific property,
• a percentage of the estate tax, or
• a portion or all of the residue.

The following language may be appropriate for a bequest:

"I give and bequeath _____ percent of my adjusted gross estate (as that term is defined in the federal estate tax laws) to (your fund’s name) of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Inc., subject to its governing instruments, policies and procedures, as amended from time to time."

"This gift shall be devoted to the general charitable purposes of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Inc. as set forth in its governing instruments, as amended from to time."

Life Insurance

One of the simplest ways to make a significant contribution is to give a life insurance policy to The Community Foundation. You may do this in a number of ways. You may give a policy no longer needed, take out a new policy or name The Community Foundation as a beneficiary of an existing policy. A gift of life insurance may provide valuable income and estate tax savings.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity allows you to contribute assets to The Community Foundation and receive an income tax charitable deduction. In turn, we will provide you with a guaranteed income for life (the payout varies depending upon your age and other factors). This vehicle can ease the worries of outliving financial resources by providing a high income coupled with numerous tax advantages.

Charitable Remainder Trust

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) allows you to establish a trust for the ultimate benefit of your fund at the Foundation, while retaining the income generated by the assets given. A CRT may help you eliminate capital gains taxes, reduce or eliminate estate taxes, improve lifetime cash flow, and when coupled with an asset replacement trust, will provide for heirs as well.

Pooled Income Fund

A pooled income fund works much like a mutual fund. You receive a variable amount of income each year and these assets go ultimately to The Community Foundation. This type of fund is especially attractive if you would like to contribute less than $50,000, receive a variable annual income and still receive all of the tax benefits of a charitable donation.

Retirement Accounts

Qualified retirement plan accounts are subjected to layers of taxation (i.e., estate tax, federal income tax and state income tax). For some accounts, the combination of these taxes can be as high as 75-85 percent. The 25-15 percent your heirs would have received may be replaced with an asset replacement trust. Numerous other innovative retirement planning giving opportunities exist, and we would be happy to provide additional information upon request.

Charitable Lead Trust

This trust allows you to provide income to your fund at the Foundation for a fixed number of years. The remainder is then returned to you or to your named beneficiary - your heirs, for example.

Life Estate

If you own valuable property that you would like to use during your lifetime but make arrangements to give it to The Community Foundation upon death, you may receive a current income tax deduction and future estate tax deduction.

Other

The Community Foundation can devise a philanthropic plan that may include various gift assets, such as closely held stock (private or restricted stock), qualified or non-qualified stock options or family limited partnership interests.