Charities: Give Stocks Instead
Put away your checkbook and donate appreciated securities instead.

’Tis the season to share your bounty with the less fortunate or to support your favorite cause. If you’re in a charitable mood, consider donating appreciated securities -- stocks or mutual funds -- instead of cash. When you give $1,000 in cash, you get to deduct $1,000, and that saves you $250 in the 25% bracket. (Any state-income-tax savings are gravy.)
But let's say you have $1,000 worth of mutual fund shares that you bought more than a year ago for $500. If you sell the shares, you'll owe $75 in tax on the profit, even at the preferential 15% capital-gains rate. But if you donate the shares, the charity gets the full $1,000 (it doesn't have to pay tax on the profit when it sells), you avoid the $75 tax bill, and you still get to deduct the full grand. It's a win-win-win situation.
This gifting strategy does not work for investments that have lost value. For example, if a stock that you bought for $1,000 is now worth only $400 and you donate it to a charity, your deduction will be limited to the current $400 value. At that point, you would be better off selling the stock, making a tax-deductible contribution of $400 in cash to the charity and claiming a $600 capital loss. You can use your capital losses to offset your capital gains, and after that, you can use up to $3,000 of capital losses to offset ordinary income. Any excess losses can be carried forward to use in future years.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
What if you don't want to part with your investment? Give it away anyway, and use the cash you would have donated to reinvest. The maneuver is perfectly legal and simply wipes out the tax bill that has built up so far and establishes a new basis. (This applies only to your taxable accounts, not to your tax-deferred retirement accounts.)
Giving appreciated securities sounds like a maneuver for fat cats, but it can pay off for philanthropists of more modest means, too. The charity you plan to help should be more than willing to fill in the details. Time is running out, though, and it will take a little longer than writing a check. The transfer of ownership has to be completed by December 31 to lock in the deduction for your 2013 return.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Block joined Kiplinger in June 2012 from USA Today, where she was a reporter and personal finance columnist for more than 15 years. Prior to that, she worked for the Akron Beacon-Journal and Dow Jones Newswires. In 1993, she was a Knight-Bagehot fellow in economics and business journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She has a BA in communications from Bethany College in Bethany, W.Va.
-
Easing the Challenges of Caring for Aging Parents
Here are some strategies that can help reduce the effort and stress involved.
By Mario Hernandez
-
How to Access Private Markets with Interval Funds
Let's explore how interval funds work — and how they're opening the doors to private market investing.
By Nicholas Pope
-
Missed Tax Day? Nearly One Million Taxpayers Still Can File and Claim Valuable Tax Refunds
Tax Refunds As many as one million taxpayers could be missing out on a significant tax refund.
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez
-
Which Generation Pays the Most Tax in the US?
Tax Burden Polls show that most people feel like taxes are unfair. But which age group bears the brunt of the tax burden in the United States?
By Kelley R. Taylor
-
Tax Day 2025: Don’t Miss These Freebies, Food Deals and Discounts
Tax Day You can score some sweet deals on April 15 in some select restaurants like Burger King, Shake Shack, and more.
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez
-
Tax Time: Does Your Kid Influencer Owe Taxes?
State Tax Some minors are making big money on social media. Here’s how to know if they need to file taxes.
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez
-
Trump Plans to Terminate IRS Direct File program
Tax Filing The IRS Direct File program was piloted last year in 12 states and has since expanded to 25. But will it last under the Trump administration?
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez
-
How Caregivers for Adults Can Save on Taxes in 2025
Tax Breaks Caring for your parent or spouse can be stressful, but the IRS offers tax breaks for qualifying taxpayers. Here they are.
By Kate Schubel
-
U.S. Treasury to Eliminate Paper Checks: What It Means for Tax Refunds, Social Security
Treasury President Trump signed an executive order forcing the federal government to phase out paper check disbursements by the fall.
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez
-
IRS Layoffs Spark Delays, Doubt This Tax Season
Tax Season Tax experts say Trump’s downsizing of the IRS is already causing problems.
By Gabriella Cruz-Martínez