Make a Donation - Ways of Giving

There are a number of ways that you can support the important work of the New Hampshire Association for the Blind.

You may choose to give an annual gift, to make a special one-time gift or to include the New Hampshire Association for the Blind in your Will or Estate plan. You may choose to make a gift that will be used for programs or for the future through the Endowment Fund. You may wish to honor a friend or colleague or to make a gift in memory of a loved one.

Some of your gift choices have tax advantages that will help you meet other personal and financial goals while helping your New Hampshire neighbors who are blind and visually impaired.

We provide you with many ways to contribute:

Cash Gifts

Outright gifts of cash are the most popular type of gift, and are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

Please make your check payable to New Hampshire Association for the Blind. By law, gifts of $250.00 must be acknowledged by the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. You should retain your receipt as proof of your contribution.

To make a gift using MasterCard or VISA, please call Jane Roy at 224-4039 or e-mail jroy@sightcenter.org. Or print our donation form and mail it to the address on the form.

Partners in Sight is a special giving program for donors to make monthly donations to the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. Donors have the choice of making payments by check using envelopes provided by the Association or they can use a MasterCard or Visa credit card. Call Jane Roy at 224-4039 or e-mail jroy@sightcenter.org.

Gifts of Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds

If you have investments that have grown in value since you first acquired them, then you may be able to take advantage of the income tax charitable deduction.

You will be entitled to a tax deduction for the full market value of your gift (Fair Market Value), as long as you have owned your investment for more than one year.

Your gift of securities is valued on the date it reaches our stock account if transferred electronically by your broker or, if mailed, on the date the envelope is postmarked.

If you are having securities transferred by your broker, please notify our office so we can arrange for acceptance of your gift into our stock account.

Contact the administrator of you mutual fund to make arrangements for a charitable gift to be made from your account.

Gifts of Life Insurance, IRAs and Other Retirement Assets

It is easy to name New Hampshire Association for the Blind as the beneficiary, or one of the beneficiaries, of your life insurance policy or any one of your retirement plans. By making a charitable gift in this manner, you may avoid estate and income taxes Ð while creating a lasting legacy.

Just as you should periodically review your Will and Estate Plan, you should also periodically review the beneficiary designations on any life insurance, IRA, 401(k) or other retirement plan you own (or over which you have a power of appointment given to you by someone else).

You may even consider gifting an "obsolete" insurance policy by naming the Association as the owner. You will be entitled to an income tax deduction that is usually equivalent to the paid up value or replacement value of the policy.

Simply contact the administrator of your plan and ask for a Change of Beneficiary form. You may even be able to find one on their Web site.

Real Estate

Giving Real Estate, whether undeveloped, residential or commercial, provides you with another method to make a tax-advantaged gift. If your real estate has grown in value, it may be a perfect asset to fund a charitable remainder trust. It is possible to continue the use of your home or property during your lifetime, while receiving the benefit of an immediate charitable tax deduction.

Gifts that Return an Income for Life

There are a number of ways for you to create a charitable gift, using appreciated stock or other assets, which return an income to you and usually to one other person. Charitable gift annuities are suitable for gifts of $5,000 or more. Charitable Remainder Trusts are an option for larger gifts.

A Charitable Gift Annuity may help you increase your spendable income; provide a fixed, steady income; gain an immediate charitable income tax deduction; and create a lasting legacy.

Bequests

A bequest in your Will or provision in your Trust directing a gift to the New Hampshire Association for the Blind provides you with an opportunity to create a lasting legacy.

Your will or estate plan can designate gifts of cash, real property or retirement plan assets to be made in one of several ways:

  • Specific bequest: a gift of a specific amount or piece of property.

    Example: "I give $5,000 or my XYZ common stock to New Hampshire Association for the Blind, a non profit corporation, for its general corporate purposes."

  • Residuary bequest: a percentage of or the remainder of your estate.

    Example: "I give, devise and bequeath, all the rest, residue and remainder of my property, however acquired and wherever situated to New Hampshire Association for for the Blind."

  • Contingent bequest: a gift taking effect only if something does or does not happen, e.g. another beneficiary does not survive you.

    Example: "In the event my Aunt Mary Jones should not survive me, I give my father's silver and coin collection to the New Hampshire Association for the Blind."

How to Name the New Hampshire Association for the Blind in the Will or Trust

The following is suggested for language for including us in a legal document, such as your Will or Trust:

"The New Hampshire Association for the Blind, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, and with its principal business address as 25 Walker Street, Concord, New Hampshire 03301."

Recognition and the McGreal Society

Many people have included the New Hampshire Association for the Blind in their estate plan, either through a Will, Trust, Life Insurance Policy, IRA, etc. or made a life income gift, like a Charitable Gift Annuity. Their names are listed in our Annual Report and here on our Web site.

We would welcome the opportunity to recognize you for your invaluable support. Please allow us to express our gratitude by enrolling as a member of the McGreal Society.

The McGreal Society was named for William and Elizabeth Yates McGreal who each had a long history of service to the Association.

Planned Giving

What is a Charitable Remainder Trust?

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is a tax-saving alternative for people who want to make a substantial gift to a charitable organization. It can be a powerful tool for many individuals, especially those who have highly appreciated assets like stock or real estate.

A CRT is an irrevocable trust. This means that once it is set up and a charitable gift is made, it cannot be undone. In order to realize its full potential, a CRT requires special legal, accounting and tax administration. Your investment professional, attorney and tax adviser should all be included in discussions about whether this option is right for you.

Gifts to a CRT can be made in cash, but more often consist of highly appreciated stock, real estate or a closely held business interest. In exchange for a charitable gift, the CRT pays income to the trust income beneficiary (usually you and your spouse as donors) for a fixed period or for life. At the end of the trust (which is usually your lifetime), the remaining assets pass to one or more of the charities you have chosen. Here are some of the benefits a CRT offers:

How a CRT Works

Step 1: DONOR

  • Makes a gift to a CRT.
  • Receives income tax deduction.
  • Receives income.

Step 2: TRUST

  • Sells assets (does not pay capital gains tax).
  • Reinvests the proceeds into an income-producing vehicle.
  • Pays income to the donor.

Step 3: CHARITY

  • Receives remaining trust balance when donor dies or at the end of the trust term.

If you would like additional information regarding charitable remainder trusts, please contact Shelley Proulx, Vice President for Development at 224-4039 or sproulx@sightcenter.org.

IRA Rollovers for Charity

Prior to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the "Act"), the usual rules relating to the tax treatment of withdrawals from IRAs were applied to withdrawals from traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs that were donated to charities. Under the new law, for the years of 2006, 2007 and 2008, an individual of 70 years or older can make direct charitable gifts of up to $100,000 per year from an IRA to a qualified charity and not have to report the IRA distributions as taxable income on his or her federal income tax return. Moreover, such distributions count toward the required minimum distribution.

For more Information, we recommend the following online resources:

DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this Web site is for informational purposes. Please consult with your legal and financial advisors before entering into any gift arrangement.