What type of asset is best to contribute?
Appreciated securities that have been held for more than one year make the most effective contributions. Donors avoid the capital gains tax on the securities and can deduct the total value of the contribution from their income taxes, up to 30% of adjusted gross income. Any excess tax deduction may be carried forward and deducted for five additional years after the year of the original contribution. Because of these advantages, donors are able to effectively give more to the causes they support.
