Ways to make your tax-deductible donation:
1. By Credit Card
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Option 1: PayPal Giving Fund
When you donate through the PayPal Giving Fund, PayPal covers all associated transaction fees, so New Christian Bible Study receives 100% of what you give. (a PayPal account is required).
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Option 2: Standard Donation via PayPal
One-time or recurring donations may be made with a credit card by clicking the "Donate" button below (a PayPal account is optional).
2. Send a Check
Rather send a check? Donations may be made by sending a check to:
New Christian Bible Study Corporation
c/o: Pittsburgh Society of the New Church
299 Le Roi Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 USA
3. Planned Giving Strategies
Cash donations aren't the only way to financially support New Christian Bible Study. There are some other tax-efficient ways (for American donors) that are easy to use. We describe several of these, below. (Caveat: the following notes relate to American tax provisions, but other countries provide similar encouragement for people who want to support charitable causes. We're happy to help figure out good ways to help you advance this mission that we all care about!)
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Donate Stock that has Appreciated in Value
Giving appreciated stock or mutual funds that you have held for more than one year is one of the most tax-efficient ways to support New Christian Bible Study. When you donate appreciated securities directly to us, you can claim the full fair market value as a tax-deductible charitable contribution, without having to pay capital gains taxes on the appreciated amount.
The tax benefits of a stock donation can be significant. For example, if you purchased stock years ago for $2,000 and it is now worth $10,000, you would have to pay capital gains taxes of around 15-20% if you sold the stock. However, by donating that same stock directly to NCBS, you can claim a $10,000 deduction and not have to pay taxes on the $8,000 gain.
The process is pretty simple: you instruct your broker to transfer the shares to New Christian Bible Study's brokerage account. We will provide you with a written acknowledgment of the stock donation and its fair market value on the date of transfer for your tax records.
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Donate from your IRA Required Minimum Distribution
If you are 70½ or older, you can make a tax-free charitable donation directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to NCBS using a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). This allows you to give funds that count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year, without having those funds count as taxable income.
The benefits of making a QCD include:
- You satisfy all or part of your annual RMD requirement.
- You will not incur income tax on the donated amount.
- You are able to give more from your IRA than you're allowed to deduct as a charitable donation.
To make a qualified charitable distribution, you would instruct your IRA custodian to transfer an amount (up to $100,000 per year) directly from your IRA to New Christian Bible Study. The amount donated counts toward your RMD but is excluded from your taxable income for the year.
While you cannot claim a charitable deduction for the QCD itself, the donation allows you to meet your RMD obligation while excluding it from your adjusted gross income. This can be especially beneficial if you don't itemize deductions or are subject to rules that limit deductions based on income level.
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Donate a Life Insurance Policy
Another less common but very effective way to support NCBS is to donate a life insurance policy that you no longer need. This can allow you to leverage the policy's death benefit into a significant future gift while also providing you with tax benefits today.
There are a couple of ways you can donate a life insurance policy:
1. Transfer Ownership - If the policy has built up a cash value, you can transfer complete ownership of the policy to New Christian Bible Study. You will be eligible for an immediate income tax deduction equal to the cash surrender value on the date of transfer. Going forward, if you continue to pay premiums on the policy, those payments will also be tax deductible as a charitable donation.
2. Make New Christian Bible Study the Beneficiary - For a policy that hasn't built up cash value, you can simply designate NCBS as the primary beneficiary to receive the death benefit when you pass away. Though this provides no immediate tax benefit to you, it allows you to make a meaningful future gift to NCBS.
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Leave a Legacy Gift
One of the most common ways to leave money to a non-profit is by making a bequest in your will. You can specify a dollar amount, percentage of your estate, or specific assets you wish to donate to New Christian Bible Study. Your estate executor will ensure the funds are transferred according to your wishes.
You might also consider setting up a charitable remainder trust. This irrevocable trust provides income to you during your lifetime, with the remaining principal going to NCBS after your death. It can provide tax benefits and allow you to support the organization while still receiving income.
The New Christian Bible Study is a project of the non-profit New Christian Bible Study Corporation, an approved 501c3 organization. The project started in 2011, and has been funded by foundations and private donations, and carried forward by a combination of volunteer efforts and contract services for software and content development.
NCBS participates in Candid's Guidestar service, which helps prospective donors evaluate the missions and finances of 501c3 charities, as part of our commitment to transparency. Copies of our recent financial filings are available at guidestar.org. Our finances are reviewed annually by Beerman Piper & Associates. And we're happy to talk about our financial situation, too, and about specific projects that you might like to support.
We're very excited about what we've accomplished so far, and we have a long list of things still to do. For a more detailed look at where we've been and where we're going, take a look at our project plan page.
To learn more about any of the giving options mentioned above, or to discuss another strategy that might better suit your particular situation, please reach out to our treasurer:
Thank you for your support!
