Other Ways to Donate to the Lupus Foundation of America

Good morning everyone.

Friday has arrived which means the weekend is right around the corner. I hope you have some fun or relaxing plans in place. I do. On Saturday, I'm catching the B-52s in concert with a friend of mine, here in downtown DC. Really looking forward to that.

Let's turn to lupus-related news.

I've received a bunch of emails from people, wanting to know what are some of the ways they can make a donation to the Lupus Foundation of America -- other than by writing a check or making an online donation.

There are several other ways to donate to the Lupus Foundation of America. I will share 2 of them with you now.

Donation of Life Insurance

A life insurance policy that has a substantial cash surrender value can be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America. You might have purchased the policy to provide income protection for a spouse now deceased, or to educate your children who are now adults. Naming the Lupus Foundation of America as the sole or partial beneficiary of your life insurance may allow you to make a substantial gift at little or no cost to you.

You also can use life insurance to replace for your heirs the assets that you have donated to the Lupus Foundation of America through a will or trust. A life insurance trust, when used in conjunction with a charitable remainder trust, may help achieve many favorable financial objectives. Contact the Lupus Foundation of America by calling 202-349-1158, or by emailing donate@lupus.org.

Donation of Other Assets

Gifts of Real Estate
In some cases, you may be able to donate a primary residence, vacation home, commercial building or plot of land to the Lupus Foundation of America.

A gift of real property can provide you with a combination of advantages and tax savings. Some of the benefits of a real estate gift that is accepted by the LFA may include:

• An immediate charitable income tax deduction in the year you make the gift.
  
• Avoiding capital gains taxes at the time of the transfer.
  
• The opportunity to live in your home or use the property for the rest of your life.
  
• Knowing that the property will be excluded from any estate and inheritance taxes.

Because each property and gift plan is unique, any real estate gift will require careful consideration by your legal and tax advisors and by our advisors and Board of Directors as well.

Gifts of Retirement Benefits
The benefits of retirement plans payable at your death may be subject to both income and estate taxes. If you name the Lupus Foundation of America as the beneficiary, the full amount of the benefits passing to the LFA at your death will pass free of estate and income taxes. This may make designating the LFA to receive retirement benefits the most tax-effective way to make a planned gift.

Gifts Of Intellectual Property
Intellectual property such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, artworks, musical compositions, and other similar or related property rights, are another form of charitable giving gaining popularity. These gifts can provide tax-advantages for individuals who want to make a charitable gift. However, income, gift and estate tax considerations are very complicated and require careful planning. Consult your legal and tax advisors for more information on these and other non-cash contributions.

If you have any questions about any of these ways to donate, please contact the Lupus Foundation of America by calling 202-349-1158, or by emailing donate@lupus.org.

Have a great weekend!

Until next time, Wick