Other Ways to Give

Donating stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares is an especially attractive option if you’ve held these securities for a year or more and they’ve increased in value since you acquired them. If you donate securities under those circumstances, the benefits to you are:

• you’re not liable for capital gains taxes you’d have to pay if you sold the securities outright
• you don’t have to pay brokers’ sales commissions
• you are still eligible for a tax deduction for the securities’ full market value

The benefit to PVAS is that we receive a larger donation than we would if you sold the securities and gave the net, after-tax proceeds to us.

How to make a donation:

• To handle donations of stocks, bonds and mutual fund shares, PVAS maintains a Fidelity Brokerage Account at Hoxton Financial, Inc., in Shepherdstown, WV. Most transactions can be handled easily by electronic transfer.
• For details on how to make such a donation, or for further information, email  Kristin Alexander  or call (681) 252-1387.

Please remember the following:

• As with any charitable donation, you can only deduct donations of securities if you itemize deductions on Schedule A of your Form 1040.
• And be sure to consult your accountant, tax attorney or financial advisor if you have questions about the impacts of a particular donation on your current tax situation.

How you benefit

Donating land for conservation purposes is one of the most enduring legacies a person can leave. It can also offer significant tax benefits.

Donating land is especially worth considering if you:

• have no heirs or your heirs have no interest in your land or you don’t wish your land to go to them;
• own property that you no longer use or wish to care for;
• own property that has increased greatly in value and want to reduce your exposure to capital gains taxes;
• want to reduce the estate tax burden for your heirs and other beneficiaries.

PVAS is always willing to consider accepting donations of land. We are particularly interested in land that would be suitable for a nature preserve. Under some circumstances we might also accept a property that we could retain as an income-producing asset or sell for income.

You can make a land donation in any of the following ways:

Outright Donation

A land donation made now as an outright gift can have immediate tax benefits by providing substantial income tax deductions and avoiding capital gains taxes that would result from selling the property. For the long term, it can also help reduce your family’s exposure to estate tax burdens later on.

Remainder Interest Donation

If you want to retain use of your land for the rest of your life but still get some tax benefits now from making a donation, you can donate a remainder interest to PVAS and retain a reserved life estate. Under such an arrangement, you continue to live on and/or use your property and continue to be responsible for all taxes, insurance and maintenance. The tax deduction you receive now is based on the fair market value of your donated property minus the expected value of the reserved life estate. PVAS gains full title and control over the property only after you pass away or decide to relinquish your life estate.

Donation by bequest

If you want to retain full ownership of your land for your lifetime but make sure the land goes to PVAS afterwards, a simple bequest is your best option. All donations made through bequests will be deductible from your gross estate for estate-tax purposes. Click here for more information on bequests.

Please remember the following:

• No matter what form they take, donations of land should not be entered into lightly.
• Because children and other family members often have special attachments to land, you should consult carefully with your family to make sure they are completely comfortable with the idea.
• You should also consult with us to make sure that your property is suitable for the purpose that you envision for it, and that you are comfortable with our ability to manage it in the way you envision.
• Finally, because the tax benefits of donating a specific piece of land can vary widely according to the always-changing complexities of federal and state tax laws, your particular financial circumstances, and what the receiving charity does with the land, you should consult with your attorney or accountant or financial advisor as well.
• If you want your land to become a nature preserve, we hope you will also consider providing some sort of cash payment or endowment to accompany your land donation if you are able to do so. Establishing and maintaining a nature preserve always entails at least some costs, and it helps us greatly if resources are provided to assist us with those costs.

Questions? To consult with us about donating a specific property or for more information please contact Kristin Alexander or call (681) 252-1387.

Donating a vehicle to PVAS is easy. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of selling your old vehicle yourself and/or if a tax deduction would be easier or more valuable to you than a trade-in or cash payment, it’s a step worth considering.

Your vehicle doesn’t have to be in running condition; all vehicles have at least some residual value from parts or scrap. All you have to do is complete this form and email to Kristin Alexander at kristin@potomacaudubon.org, or mail to PVAS, PO Box 578, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. In addition to your contact information, the form will require information on the title and any outstanding liens on the vehicle, as well as its make, model, year, condition, mileage, location and VIN number (the VIN is mounted on the top of the dashboard on the driver’s side and can be easily viewed through the windshield). Please contact Kristin at (681) 252-1387 with questions.

We’ll handle everything from there, including making arrangements to have the vehicle picked up. There is no cost to you for pickup, even if that involves towing.

Tax benefits to you

PVAS typically sells donated vehicles through the Winchester Auto Auction in Frederick County, VA, which holds auctions every Tuesday. PVAS receives the net proceeds from the auction sale of your vehicle, after the auction house’s fees and towing or transportation costs are deducted. You get to deduct the full auction sale price.

After your vehicle is sold, PVAS will provide you with a letter that documents the sale for tax purposes. If the auction sale price is more than $500, you’ll need to attach a copy of that letter to your next year’s tax return along with a copy of Internal Revenue Service Form 8283 (“Noncash Charitable Contributions”). For a copy of Form 8283 and its accompanying instructions go to the IRS website and enter “Form 8283” in the search box.

If the auction sale price is less than $500 you do not need to document your deduction on your next tax return but you should keep a copy of our letter in case your deduction is challenged.

The IRS offers a handy, complete guide to all facets of vehicle donations. To access this publication, click here or go to the IRS website and type “Publication 4303” in the search box.

Please remember the following:

• As with any charitable donation, you can only deduct donations of vehicles to charities if you itemize deductions on Schedule A of your Form 1040.
• For tax purposes, vehicles are defined as any motor vehicle manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways; boats; or airplanes.

Helpful Hints if You Donate Your Vehicle

• Be sure to remove your license plate(s), registration and insurance certificate from the car.
• You must have a valid title to donate your car. Sign the title on the back, in the “Signature of Seller(s)” line in section #1 at the top, but leave the “Name of Purchaser” line blank. DO NOT identify PVAS or Winchester Auto Auction as the purchaser. Winchester Auto Auction will fill in the name of the purchaser when the car is sold at auction.
• Call your insurer and tell them that you are donating the car in this way; be sure to retain insurance on the car until Winchester Auto Auction has picked up the car and given you a receipt. That receipt will release you from all liability on the vehicle.
• If you have a service record for the car, put it in the front seat or glove compartment; this can help boost the car’s auction value. Also include any owners or service manuals you may have.

Questions? If you have any questions about donating a vehicle, please contact Kristin Alexander.

It’s easy to make a donation to PVAS through your will. There are many options you can choose:

• You can specify that PVAS should receive a specific asset (piece of land, block of stocks, etc.), a specific dollar amount, or a stated percentage of your estate.
• If you want your immediate heirs to have lifetime use of some or all of your assets but want some or all of those assets to go to PVAS when your heirs pass away, you can specify that PVAS has the remainder interest in those assets.
• Similarly, you can name PVAS as a contingent beneficiary of some or all of your assets if your named beneficiary is no longer alive at the time your will is probated.

With any of these options, you can–if you wish–specify  exactly how your bequest should be used. For example, you can state that it should be used generally, to support PVAS’s overall operations or be used specifically to benefit a PVAS program you particularly favor, such as children’s education programs or nature preserve operations.

Benefits to you

Bequests to PVAS are fully deductible from your gross estate for estate tax purposes. This means they reduce the estate tax burden for your heirs and other beneficiaries. There’s no limit on the amount that can be deducted from your estate for charitable bequests.

Language to use

If you choose to make a bequest to PVAS, we suggest that your attorney uses the following language when referring to PVAS:

Potomac Valley Audubon Society, Incorporated, a not-for-profit membership organization incorporated by the laws of the state of West Virginia, having as its principal address PO Box 578, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

It may also be helpful to include PVAS’s federal nonprofit tax identification number, which is 55-0626891.

Questions? To consult with us about mentioning PVAS in your will or for more information please email Kristin Alexander or call (681) 252-1387.

What does PVAS need?

PVAS welcomes donations of useful goods and services, and over the years such donations have been a big help to us. Examples of useful goods include building materials or office equipment and supplies. Useful services include many different kinds of skills, from trade skills like carpentry to professional skills like legal assistance.

Our specific needs vary from time to time, so if you have a possible in-kind donation in mind, please contact Kristin Alexander or (681) 252-1387.

Tax benefits to you

The value of donated time or services is not tax-deductible but you may deduct the fair market value of donated goods. PVAS will provide you with a letter that documents your donation of goods for tax purposes.

If the fair market value of your donation is more than $500, you’ll need to attach a copy of that letter with your next year’s tax return along with a copy of Internal Revenue Service Form 8283 (“Noncash Charitable Contributions”). For a copy of Form 8283 and its accompanying instructions go to the IRS website and enter “Form 8283” in the search box.

If the fair market value of your donation is less than $500 you do not need to document your deduction on your next tax return but you should keep a copy of our letter in case your deduction is challenged.

Please remember the following:

• As with any charitable donation, you can only deduct donations to charities if you itemize deductions on Schedule A of your Form 1040.
• Also, your ability to deduct a specific charitable donation may be limited depending on your income level and the size and nature of your gift. These limitations typically only apply to major gifts, however. Be sure to consult your accountant, tax attorney or financial advisor if you have questions about the impacts of a particular donation on your current tax situation.

United Way/Combined Federal Campaign donations

Each year, the annual fundraising campaigns of United Way of the Eastern Panhandle and the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) get underway in September and last into the winter. PVAS receives from both agencies and encourages its members to give to their campaigns. Because PVAS is an IRS-qualified non-profit agency, individuals who contribute to either United Way or CFC can designate all or part of those contributions to PVAS, if they wish.

To designate United Way contributions to PVAS,

look for the section of the United Way contribution form that asks how you want your donation invested and indicate that you want to make a Restricted Contribution to Potomac Valley Audubon Society, PO Box 578, Shepherdstown, WV.

To designate CFC contributions to PVAS,

enter PVAS’s CFC number (29061) on the CFC form that you file with your employing agency. Please note that United Way and CFC deduct a percentage from all designated contributions to cover their administrative costs.

If you have any questions, please contact Kristin Alexander at kristin@potomacaudubon.org or (681) 252-1387.