As people consider making donations to their favorite charity, it may not occur to them how suitable stocks and securities are as a vehicle to support nonprofit organizations like the National MS Society. Many investors have assets in the form of stocks or securities that they should consider donating rather than cash. There are benefits to giving securities directly to the National MS Society rather than selling them.
If you transfer appreciated securities that you've owned for over a year to the Society, you receive credit for the full market value of the gift on the day it is made. You also avoid paying capital gains tax. In other words, a $1,000 gift of stock for which you paid $750 entitles you to a charitable tax deduction of $1,000. Since you are making a charitable gift, there is no capital gains tax due on the $250 appreciation.
Using securities to make a gift that provides you with income for life is also a wise way to purchase a charitable gift annuity or to contribute to the Society's pooled income fund. For further information on how to transfer stock to the National MS Society, contact Lori Espino at 1-800-344-4867 or lori.espino@nmss.org. Lori can answer questions about various types of non-cash contributions, including the following:
- Gifts of stock, real estate, and other assets
- Gift annuities
- Other types of planned gifts
Donations made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The National MS Society is a 501(c)(3) organization. Registration and other fees are not tax-deductible.