Donating Stocks

Written by Charlotte Wood (last updated February 21, 2009)

It's always an investor's greatest dream to make it big. Making coffers of cash through stocks and other investments is really every investor's inner desire; seriously, who wouldn't want to hit it luck with their stocks? However, outrageous success in stocks is a double-edged sword. The underlying catch to all of this is taxes. However, there is a way to avoid taxation while still benefiting yourself and that's where you should consider donating stocks.

If the income tax on your stock returns will be significant, more than you want to pay, then you should definitely consider donating your stocks. You can donate your value-increasing stock to a charity and then you don't have to pay taxes. Also, it's not like you'd be just handing the taxes over to someone else because charities don't have to pay taxes so you'd really be quite the philanthropist if you decided on such a course of action.

The benefit of donating stock doesn't just lie in feeling good about yourself however; you also receive a tax deduction yourself and this deduction is as much as you donated, thus you gain but in a different way. Say you had a $15,000 stock and donated that stock to your favorite charity. Instead of having to pay taxes on it, you actually receive a $15,000 tax deduction because of your generous donation, so that money is just taken off of what you owe the government. (This could manifest itself in either a greater portion of your paycheck allotted to you each pay period, or even better, a hefty tax return!)

Donating stocks is an easy endeavor and only takes a call to your broker or other investment specialist and they'll be able to work with you on your generous donation. Stock donations are great for charities and are sums of money that can make an immediate difference. If you have substantial stock success, you should most definitely consider donating stocks because not only will you benefit financially, you'll also just feel good!

Author Bio

Charlotte Wood

MORE FROM CHARLOTTE

Removing Cobwebs from Your Walls

Unfortunately, cobwebs happen, and there's not much you can do to completely eliminate them. You can, however, remove ...

Discover More

Appearing Bustier

It's not an uncommon wish for many women to appear bustier than they are. If you are one of those women, read the tips ...

Discover More

Relaxing with a Foot Massage

Foot massages are great for relaxation and stress alleviation. If you're stressed and need some relaxation, look into a ...

Discover More
More Money Tips

What Are Penny Stocks?

You've probably heard the phrase penny stock thrown around without really knowing what it means. You'll soon find ...

Discover More

What is the Dow Jones Index?

Understanding the Dow Jones Index is critical to understanding the stock market as a whole and as an investor, knowing ...

Discover More

Understanding Stock Options

You hear about stock options all the time, but what exactly are they? Stock options can actually be a great financial ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is six less than 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)