As we finish our seders and think about how lucky we are to partake of the occasional feast with our biggest worry being our waistlines, it’s a good time to think about hunger. Whether it’s in Darfur, the Congo, Haiti, Chile, or in our own backyards, MAZON is there to help. Founded in 1985, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is the only national Jewish nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing and alleviating hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds.
MAZON is just one of many charitable organizations that offers people a way to do planned giving. While the following appeared on MAZON’s website, it offers good general advice about planned giving as a whole. – Ed.
Factoring MAZON into your long-term estate planning process can help ensure ongoing assistance to hungry people. You should check with your tax or legal advisor to confirm the anticipated tax benefits to you and/or your estate.
Types of Planned Gifts:
Cash, Securities and Real Estate
Cash, readily marketable securities – particularly appreciated securities – and real estate generate immediate income for MAZON. This is the most direct and effective gift to MAZON.
Life Insurance
You may name MAZON as beneficiary or contingent beneficiary of a life insurance policy or, if you transfer ownership of the policy to MAZON, you may receive an immediate income tax deduction equal to the policy’s cash value as well as tax deductions for the premiums you pay thereafter.
Wills and Bequests
The donor has the use and enjoyment of the intended gift during the donor’s lifetime. At death, the gift passes to the MAZON Endowment and results in an estate tax charitable deduction.
Charitable Remainder Trust
Charitable remainder trusts offer excellent opportunities for donors to make gifts of appreciated assets, while retaining the right to receive a percentage of the value of the assets during their lifetime and, if desired, the lifetime of their spouse. The value of MAZON’s future right to receive the assets of the trust will be an income tax charitable deduction after the designated lifetime.
Charitable Lead Trust
A vehicle that enables donors to give money to charity regularly and to pass a substantial sum to family members free of gift estate taxes.
For more information on making a planned gift to MAZON, please contact mazon.org/get-involved/more-ways-to-give/.
Stock Donations
Please check with your tax or legal advisor to confirm your possible tax benefits.
To make a stock donation to MAZON. Your broker may make an electronic transfer of your stock.
Brokerage firms cannot release your name(s) due to privacy policies. In order for MAZON to properly acknowledge your gift of stock, please contact MAZON and provide the following information:
1. Donor’s name, complete address and phone number (if it is to be anonymous, please indicate)
2. Name and number of securities transferred
For more information on donating shares of stock to MAZON, please contact mazon.org/get-involved/more-ways-to-give/.