Receiving a Stock Gift

The first stock gift I ever received as a church treasurer was several shares of Coca-Cola Company stock from a wonderful member named Char. Char wasn’t a multi-millionaire. She was just like so many ordinary people that happen to own stocks, bonds, or shares of a mutual fund. You don’t need to have a Bill Gates in your church to receive a stock gift. Ordinary people make these extraordinary gifts each year. Because of Char’s example, I actually made my own stock gift a few years later to support the church’s capital campaign.

For a church, it can also seem tricky to actually receive a stock gift. I highly recommend the Dakotas United Methodist Foundation or Minnesota United Methodist Foundation. They can receive these stock gifts for a church and then cut a check for the value of the stock. In the video, I walk through the process of facilitating a stock gift as well as how to account for it.

For those donating stock, to receive the greatest tax benefit you should donate:

  • Appreciated Stock: Stock that has grown in value since you bought.it. If it lost value, it’s better to sell it first and then donate the cash.
  • Long-term Stock: Stock held for more than a year gets the most bang for your buck. If it’s been held for less than a year, you only get partial credit for the donation.

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