There's a special break if you donate property — such as stock or mutual fund shares — to Spenser's Hope. If you owned the asset for more than a year, you get to write off its value on the day that you made the gift, not what you originally paid for it. You don't have to pay tax on the appreciation while you owned the stock, either.

What if you really want to keep the stock in your portfolio? Donate the shares you own and use the cash you would have given to buy shares on the open market. The advantage is that you'll owe tax only on profit that accrues after you repurchase the shares.

Please email us at donations@spensershope.com if you are interested in making a gift of stock to Spenser's Hope.  Thank you very much for making Spenser's Hope a part of your charitable plans.