Explore all your giving options

There are a variety of giving options tailored to your unique situation. Our team wants to help you find the best option to help you achieve your charitable dreams and goals. Contact us today for more details.

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Cash

You can make a gift by check or credit card to benefit any fund at the Montana Community Foundation. These donations are deductible if you itemize in the year of the contribution.

Bequests

You can designate a gift or portion of your estate to one or more funds at MCF, and in some cases, receive a substantial reduction in federal gift and estate taxes.

Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds

Many gifts of appreciated securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds provide a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the donated asset. If you have owned them longer than one year, you will pay no capital gains tax on the transaction and you can deduct the full fair market value.

Bank Accounts and CDs

Name MCF, or a fund at MCF, as the “payable-on-death beneficiary” of your bank accounts or on certificates of deposit. You own the assets for your lifetime and have them available for your use. Upon your death, the assets pass directly to MCF, without going through probate, for the benefit of the fund(s) you selected.

Life Insurance

Rather than cancel policies you no longer need, select a fund at MCF to name as the beneficiary, or simply donate the policies to MCF outright.

Retirement Plan Assets

Your most efficient estate planning option may be leaving all or a portion of your retirement plan to charity because tax laws often subject these assets to income and estate taxes upon death. With our help, income taxes as high as 39.6 percent can be avoided. At the same time, you can pass more tax-favored assets to your family. An IRA charitable rollover is one such option that is a great choice for people age 70½ or older.

Gifts of Property or Real Estate

This is a simple donation if you own property that is not mortgaged, has appreciated in value, and no longer of use. Donating it to MCF is an effective way to benefit funds of your choosing while deducting the fair market value of the gift and eliminating all capital gains taxes. Plus, you will remove that asset from your taxable estate. Learn more here.

Crops and Livestock

You can transfer legal ownership of a commodity to a charity before it is sold and not have taxable income from the sale. We make arrangements to sell the livestock or grain and you still deduct production costs on income taxes. Tax savings may be realized on federal income tax, state income tax, and self-employment tax, depending on your specific circumstances.

Charitable Gift Annuity

Also known as a CGA, this simple option enables you to make a gift to MCF now, get immediate tax benefits, and ensure you or a loved one receive a fixed annual income for life. The older you are, the higher your annuity rate. For donors who do not wish to receive income payments, a deferred charitable gift annuity, otherwise known as a DGA, is a popular option that provides the maximum tax advantage for the gift. Donations of cash, securities, and other property may be used for gift annuities, with highly-appreciated stock offering the additional advantage of foregoing some or all capital gains tax. When the gift annuity is eventually relinquished by the donor, or terminated upon their death, the balance of the annuity — which has been invested over time — is then transferred to the fund(s) at MCF named as the beneficiary of the gift.

Charitable Remainder Trust

You can place cash or property in a trust that pays annual fixed or variable income to you (or another named beneficiary) for life or a period of time not to exceed 20 years. Income tax benefits are available for the year you establish the trust. At the end of the trust’s term, the remaining assets transfer to MCF for the benefit of the charitable fund(s) you selected.

Charitable Lead Trust

This type of charitable trust pays income to one or more charitable organizations, typically for a period of years, after which the remaining trust assets pass to family members.

Retained Life Estate

You can transfer the deed of your personal residence or farm to MCF now and retain the right to live in and use the property for your lifetime. You will receive a current charitable deduction amount that is based on your life expectancy and the value of the property.

Bargain Sale

In this scenario, you agree to sell property to MCF at less than its fair market value, with your charitable deduction being the difference between the sale price and the fair market value. The net result is often more favorable than selling the property at fair market value and making a charitable contribution from the capital gain.

* This information on this page is not intended as legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, please consult your attorney and/or tax professional.