Make a Gift Today
Learn more about the many ways to use real estate to support Miami University in the FREE guide 7 Ways to Donate Real Estate.
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Transforming realty to gift reality
Want to make a gift to Miami University without touching your bank account? Consider giving us real estate. Such a generous gift helps us continue our work for years to come, and it may also help you. When you give us appreciated property you have held longer than one year, you qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction. This can eliminate capital gains tax. And you no longer have to deal with that property's maintenance costs, property taxes or insurance.
Another benefit: You do not have to deal with the hassle of selling the real estate. You can deed the property directly to the Miami University Foundation or ask your attorney to add a few sentences in your will or trust agreement.
Another popular option is a gift of a remainder interest in your personal residence or farmland. You may make a gift of your personal residence such as a home, condominium, vacation home or a farm while continuing to live there. You take a charitable income tax deduction for a portion of your home's value in the year the gift is made.
Ways to give real estate
You can give real estate to the Miami University Foundation in the following ways:
When you make a gift today of real estate you have owned longer than one year, you qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction equal to the property's full fair market value. This deduction lets you reduce the cost of making the gift and frees cash that otherwise would have been used to pay taxes. By donating the property to us, you also eliminate capital gains tax on its appreciation.
A gift of real estate through your will or living trust allows you the flexibility to change your mind and the potential to support our work with a larger gift than you could during your lifetime. In as little as one sentence or two, you can ensure that your support for Miami continues after your lifetime.
Perhaps you like the tax advantages a gift of real estate to our organization would offer, but you want to continue living in your personal residence for your lifetime. You can transfer your personal residence or farm to Miami but keep the right to occupy (or rent out) the home for the rest of your life. You continue to pay real estate taxes, maintenance fees and insurance on the property. Even though Miami would not actually take possession of the residence until after your lifetime, since your gift cannot be revoked, you qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction for a portion of your home's value.
Are you tired of the hassles of maintaining your property such as paying taxes, utilities and repair bills? Consider donating the property to Miami in exchange for reliable payments for life for you (and someone else, if you choose). When you arrange a charitable gift annuity, you receive a federal income tax charitable deduction in the year you set up the gift annuity when you itemize on your taxes. If you use appreciated real estate to make a gift, you can usually eliminate capital gains tax on a portion of the gift and spread the rest of the gain over your life expectancy. A gift of unmortgaged property to fund a deferred gift annuity is preferable and generates the greatest tax benefit.
Want to sell us your property for less than the fair market value? A "bargain sale" may be the answer. When you make a bargain sale, you sell your property to our organization for less than what it's worth. The difference between the actual value and the sale price is considered a gift to us. A bargain sale can be an effective way to dispose of property that has increased in value, and it is the only gift vehicle that can give you a lump sum of cash and a charitable deduction (when you itemize) at the same time.
You can contribute any type of appreciated real estate you've owned for more than one year, provided it's unmortgaged, in exchange for an income stream for life or a term of up to 20 years. The donated property may be a residence (a personal residence must be vacant upon contribution), undeveloped land, a farm or commercial property. Real estate works well with only certain variations of charitable remainder trusts. Your estate planning attorney, who will draft your trust, can give you more details.
This gift can be a wonderful way for you to benefit Miami and simultaneously transfer appreciated real estate to your family tax-free. You should consider funding the charitable lead trust with real estate that is income-producing and expected to increase in value over the term of the trust.