Ways to Give
While the U.S. government funds the infrastructure and operating costs for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) to execute its educational mission, the Command and General Staff College Foundation was established to support and enhance the academic experience for the students, enrich their lives and the lives of their families and help connect Americans with the College and their military. As a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit educational foundation, the CGSC Foundation must raise funds to accomplish its mission of support to CGSC.
Charitable gifts commonly come from gifts of cash, but there are other ways to give to the Foundation. Each method varies in how you may use it to not only benefit the CGSC Foundation, but also reduce your income taxes. Consult with your tax advisor to explore which method(s) of giving may be right for you.
Contact the CGSC Foundation for more information.
There are several ways to give to the Foundation:
Gifts of Cash
Gifts of cash are fully deductible, up to a maximum of 50% of your adjusted gross income. Any excess can generally be carried forward and deducted over as many as five subsequent years.
Securities
Publicly traded securities held for more than one year — stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. — are the non-cash assets most frequently donated to charities. Tax benefits may include avoiding capital gains tax and reducing estate tax.
Retirement Plan Assets
If you have significant savings in a tax-deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k), IRA, or another retirement plan, and you wish to reduce income and estate taxes, gifting all or a portion of these accounts may make good estate planning sense.
Life Insurance
Contributing the proceeds of your life insurance policy is a rewarding way to make a significant gift with a great deal of convenience and little expenditure.
Bequest in Will
By incorporating charitable bequests in your will, you shape a legacy that extends beyond your lifetime while potentially minimizing or eliminating estate taxes.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A charitable remainder trust is an irrevocable trust that allows a donor to provide income to themselves or other beneficiaries for a specified period, after which the remaining assets are donated to a charity.
Charitable Lead Trust
A charitable lead trust is similar to a charitable remainder trust, except that the charity receives the set amount of fixed income for a period of years, and when the trust ends the remainder of the assets go back to you or to other beneficiaries.
Charitable Gift Annuity
A charitable gift annuity is a contract in which a donor makes a significant gift to the charity in exchange for a fixed income stream for life. After the donor’s death, the remaining assets go to the charity, and the donor may also receive tax benefits from the donation.
Personal Property
Gifting your personal property, such as antiques, artwork, collectibles, and rare books, may entitle you to a charitable deduction based on the gift’s full fair market value.
Real Estate
Donating a residence, vacation home, or other property may provide tax benefits for you. It is also possible to gift your real estate and continue to use it during your lifetime while receiving the deduction in the year you gifted the property.
The information provided here is necessarily general in nature, but we would be glad to work with you to provide more information. The best advice for anyone considering charitable gifts is to consult your tax and financial advisors and your estate planning attorney.
If you are a member of the United Way Tocqueville Society you can designate your United Way giving to the Command and General Staff College Foundation. When you fill out your Tocqueville pledge form simply write in “CGSC Foundation.” Also, include the address: 100 Stimson Avenue, Suite 1149, Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027 and Attn: Lora Morgan.
