There are many ways that you can contribute to the Class of 1954 campaign:

A Rutgers Charitable Gift Annuity
Gifts of Stocks and Bonds
Gifts of Real Estate
Gifts of Tangible Personal Property
Gifts of Life Insurance
Including Rutgers in your Will

Rutgers Charitable Gift Annuity

This type of gift is a contract between you (the donor) and the Rutgers Foundation whereby the foundation guarantees to pay you, or persons you designate, income for life in exchange for a gift of cash or marketable securities. There are some rules. The gift must be valued at $5,000 or more, and you may not receive the income until after your 55th birthday. The income you will receive varies depending on your age when payments begin. The benefits include possibly increasing your retirement income, reducing current income taxes and reducing future estate taxes. You may name yourself and your spouse or another person to receive the income. Back to Top

Stocks and Bonds

If you are holding appreciated securities and have owned them for longer than 12 months, there could be a tax advantage in giving them to Rutgers. These so-called "long-term" holdings will bring you a charitable deduction equal to their current fair market value. In addition, the capital gain is not treated as taxable income. However, for short-term holdings (securities you have owned less than 12 months), you may be limited to a tax deduction for only the amount you paid originally. Back to Top

Real Estate

Highly appreciated real estate can be a tax burden. Donating the property to Rutgers can bring tax advantages similar to that of donating appreciated securities. If you have owned the property for at least one year before giving it to Rutgers, you earn a charitable deduction equal to the full fair market value, less any outstanding mortgage. You avoid the tax on the capital gain, and the property is removed from your taxable estate. Options exist that allow you to give your home to Rutgers and continue to live in it or to derive a lifetime income from the property. Back to Top

Tangible Personal Property

A gift item directly related to Rutgers' broad mission of research, education, and public service -- for instance, the gift of a painting to the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Museum -- is often fully tax deductible at its fair market value. Gifts not related to Rutgers' mission are deductible based on what you paid for the item. If you are interested in giving Rutgers some personal property, a foundation representative can help you sort out the differences. Back to Top

Life Insurance

If you already own a policy with a significant cash surrender value, you may be able to make a major gift without affecting your current investment or cash flow. For example, you may have bought a policy years ago when family needs were great. Now your children are on their own, and you no longer need that protection for them. The donation of an existing whole life policy will carry a charitable deduction of approximately the cash surrender value. Back to Top

Rutgers in Your Will

Legacy gifts are among the most popular types of deferred gifts because of their great impact and because they are completely revocable. Should your circumstances or goals change, the bequest amount or ultimate designation can be easily altered. There are several ways to make a bequest to Rutgers - a specific gift of cash or property, a percentage of the total estate assets, or the amount of estate assets remaining after other bequest gifts have been distributed. You and your attorney can decide which is best for you.
If you decide to include Rutgers in your will, you will also become eligible for membership in the Colonel Henry Rutgers Society. Society members receive a seasonal newsletter featuring articles on Rutgers and gift planning tips and are invited to special events around the country. Back to Top