Did you know that you can maximize your charitable giving to the church and its ministries, receive favorable tax deductions, and annually advise which ministries will receive gifts?

Through a Donor Advised Fund with Lutheran Planned Giving, you can establish a fund with a minimum irrevocable gift of $10,000, receive an immediate tax deduction for the gift, and each year advise Lutheran Planned Giving about which ministries of the church you wish to receive distributions from that fund. In addition, your donor advised fund assets have the opportunity to grow in value, thereby allowing you to give more to the ministries of your choice.

Donor advised funds allow you to:
• Conveniently make a minimum gift of $10,000, usually through gifts of cash or appreciated stock. The fund assets may grow tax-free and can result in larger gifts to ministries of the church. The fund must maintain a minimum balance of $10,000 unless all funds are distributed to ministry and the fund is terminated.
• Receive an immediate tax deduction for the full amount of a cash gift and the full fair market value of stocks, as well as bypass capital gains tax liability on appreciated stock.
• Recommend distributions to church ministries of your choosing. Minimum check distribution is $200 and the maximum number of charitable beneficiaries at any one time is 10. Donors and their designees, stated by name in the agreement, may request distributions at any time of the year according to established guidelines.
• Build a permanent fund to perpetuate your charitable giving to the church and its ministries. Unless the agreement is drafted otherwise, the Donor Advised Fund will continue as a permanent endowment fund, with quarterly distributions to ministries specified in the agreement or in other writing to the ELCA Foundation, upon the death of the donor or other designee(s).