Ways to Give

Securities and mutual funds that have increased in value and been held for more than one year are popular assets to use when making a gift to The Light Foundation. Making a gift of securities or mutual funds offers you the chance to support our work while realizing important benefits for yourself.

When you donate appreciated securities or mutual funds in support of our mission, you can reduce or even eliminate federal capital gains taxes on the transfer. You may also be entitled to a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the fair market value of the securities at the time of the transfer.

Securities are most often used to support our work in the form of an outright gift. When you donate securities to The Light Foundation, you receive the same income tax savings that you would if you wrote a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20%.

Supporting our mission through gifts of stocks and bonds is a tax-efficient way to make a lasting impact. Here’s how you can donate securities:

Benefits of Donating Securities:

• Avoid capital gains tax on appreciated assets
• Receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the securities
• Potentially make a larger gift than with cash

How to Donate:

Electronic Transfer: Most securities can be transferred directly from your brokerage account to ours. Contact your broker and provide them with the following information:

• DTC Number
• Account Name
• Account Number
• Our Brokerage Firm

Mutual Funds: Contact Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com directly for specific instructions, as the process can vary by fund company.

Important Notes:

• Please notify us when you make a transfer so we can properly acknowledge your gift.
• The gift date is typically the date the securities enter our account, which determines the value of your tax deduction.
• Consult your tax advisor about the specific advantages of your situation.

To learn more about making a gift of securities through donor advised fund or charitable bequest, or to notify us of a transfer, please contact Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable investment account that allows individuals to contribute money to support charities, like The Light Foundation. DAFs are a popular way to give to charity because they offer tax benefits and flexibility:

• Tax benefits: Donors can receive an immediate tax deduction for contributions made to a DAF.
• Flexibility: Donors can recommend how much and how often to donate to charities of their choice.
• Tax-free growth: Funds in a DAF grow tax-free.

Here’s how a DAF works:

• Establish the fund: A donor contributes money, stocks, or other assets to a DAF at a public charity, community foundation, or financial institution.
• Receive tax benefits: The donor receives a tax receipt and tax benefits for their contribution.
• Invest the funds: The sponsoring organization invests the funds for tax-free growth.
• Recommend donations: The donor can recommend donations to charities of their choice.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com directly for specific instructions, as the process can vary by fund company.

Register on DAF Direct

A charitable bequest is one of the easiest and most flexible ways that you can leave a gift to The Light Foundation that will have a lasting impact.

How to Make a Bequest:

Creating a bequest is a straightforward process. With the assistance of a qualified attorney, you can add specific language to your will or trust that designates a gift to The Light Foundation. You can also utilize a beneficiary designation form to facilitate your bequest.

Ways to Leave a Bequest to The Light Foundation:

• Include in Your Will or Trust: Clearly state your intention to support The Light Foundation in your estate documents.
• Retirement Accounts: You can designate The Light Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement accounts, such as IRAs, 401(k)s, or pensions.
• Life Insurance Policies: Consider naming The Light Foundation as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy to ensure your support continues.

Benefits of a bequest:

• Receive an estate tax charitable deduction
• Reduce the burden of taxes on your family
• Leave a lasting legacy to charity

By choosing to make a bequest, you can help ensure that The Light Foundation continues its vital work, fostering hope and opportunity for future generations. Your legacy can inspire and empower countless young lives.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com

A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) allows individuals who are 70½ years old or older to donate up to $105,000 to one or more charities directly from a taxable IRA instead of taking their required minimum distributions.

As a result, donors may avoid being pushed into higher income tax brackets and prevent phaseouts of other tax deductions, though there are some other limitations. Because the QCD goes directly from your IRA to a named charity, these gifts do not qualify for a charitable deduction.

Benefits of a QCD:

• Tax-Free Transfers: You can transfer up to $105,000 from your IRA directly to The Light Foundation without incurring income taxes.
• Bypass Deduction Limits: These gifts are not subject to the usual limits on charitable deductions.
• Support Our Mission: Your contribution will help advance the important work of The Light Foundation.

How an IRA Charitable Rollover Gift Works

• Initiate the Transfer: Contact your IRA plan administrator to arrange a direct transfer to The Light Foundation.
• Direct Transfer: The funds will be sent directly from your IRA to our organization to support our ongoing efforts.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com

A CRT is a type of trust that provides you or other named individuals with income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create. At the end of the trust term, the balance in the trust goes to The Light Foundation. You would need an attorney to draft this trust. Ideally, the CRT would be funded with highly appreciated assets. You would receive a charitable income tax deduction for the remainder portion of your gift.

These gifts may offer you tax benefits and the option for income. There are two ways to receive payments, and each has its benefits:

The annuity trust pays you, each year, the same dollar amount you choose at the start. Your payments stay the same, regardless of fluctuations in trust investments.

The unitrust pays you each year a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. The amount of your payments is redetermined annually. If the value of the trust increases, so do your payments. If the value decreases, however, so will your payments.

How a CRT Works:

• Funding the Trust: Transfer cash or assets to establish the trust.
• Tax-Free Sales: If funded with appreciated assets, the trust can sell them without incurring capital gains tax.
• Income Payments: The trust provides fixed annual payments to you or chosen beneficiaries for a specified term.
• Tax Deduction: Receive a tax deduction in the year you fund the trust.
• Charitable Benefit: After all payments are made, the remaining assets support The Light Foundation’s mission.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com

You may be able to give other assets as well. For example:

• Real estate
• Life insurance
• Art or collectibles
• Vehicles
• Interests in closely held businesses.

Please reach out to Margrette Mondillo at margrette@mattlight72.com or Chris Cahill at Twelve Points, 978-318-9500, chris@twelvepoints.com to discuss these types of assets.