Ways to give to The Hill
	There are a number of different opportunities for making a gift to The Hill School, including cash gifts, pledges, charitable gift annuities, and other options. This section of our website offers an overview of these many ways to make your gift to The Hill. Pledges: The Hill School allows pledge commitments to endowment and capital projects over a period of five years. Pledges to The Hill Fund must be paid by June 30 each year. You can make a pledge to The Hill Fund on-line. Gifts of Cash: Traditionally, the majority of gifts made to The Hill School come in the form of cash. A gift of cash entitles a donor to the most generous federal income tax deduction available for charitable contributions. You may deduct up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income for gifts of cash and may carry any amount over that figure forward for up to five additional years. You can make a cash gift to The Hill Fund on-line. Matching Gifts: Many employers match their employees’ contributions to charitable causes. Ask the Human Resources office at your employer or check to see if your employer, the company from which you retired, or your spouse’s employer has a matching gift program. In most cases, your employer or former employer will provide you with a form to complete that will be sent to The Hill School, so as to secure your matching gift. Marketable Securities: A gift of appreciated securities that you have held for more than one year is frequently the most economic way to give. You will be eligible to take a federal income tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the stock* on the date of the gift for up to thirty percent of your adjusted gross income and will not have to recognize the appreciation as capital gain. Please call Christian P. Sockel, JD, Director of Advancement and Capital Giving, at 610-705-1005 or e-mail him at csockel@thehill.org if you have any questions. Life Income Gifts: A life income gift allows you to receive income (often an increased income) while making a gift to The Hill School. In addition, life income plans can offer an immediate charitable deduction, avoidance of capital gains taxes and portfolio diversification. The Hill School’s capital giving staff is available to assist volunteers, donors and their advisers in establishing life income plans. If you would like more information regarding life income gifts, please call Christian P. Sockel, JD, Director of Advancement and Capital Giving, at 610-705-1005 or e-mail him at csockel@thehill.org. Charitable Gift Annuity: A gift annuity is a simple contract between a donor and The Hill School. In exchange for a gift, The Hill School will pay a fixed and guaranteed income. Income payments may be received immediately for life or deferred to a future date. The capital is invested in the School’s endowment and the annuity payments are guaranteed by the School. Charitable Remainder Trusts: A charitable remainder trust is an individually managed trust that may be tailored to the specific needs of the donor or designated beneficiaries. These trusts can be structured to provide income for life or for a term of years. Most important, the trust assets can be managed for income or growth, depending on a beneficiary’s needs. Charitable remainder trusts can accept a broad range of gift assets and are popular because of their flexibility. Charitable Lead Trusts: Through a charitable lead trust, The Hill School receives income from the asset a donor contributes to the trust for a term of years. At the end of this period, the assets of the trust typically pass to younger family members. By making this “loan” to The Hill School, donors can significantly reduce their estate and gift taxes on transfers of wealth to their children and grandchildren. Gifts of Real Estate: Appreciated marketable real estate is another asset with which you may make a significant gift to The Hill School. A gift of real estate will entitle you to a federal income tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the property.* You will need to substantiate this value with an appraisal. You may take this deduction for up to thirty percent of your adjusted gross income and any excess over that amount you may carry over for up to five additional years. A personal residence, vacation home or farm offers another giving option. You may give a remainder interest to The Hill School while you retain the right to remain in and maintain the property for life. A gift of such a remainder interest entitles you to an income tax charitable deduction equal to the present value of the School’s remainder interest. Gifts of real estate must be reviewed in advance of acceptance by the School’s Gift Acceptance Committee. Other Assets: Gifts to The Hill School can come in other forms as well. For example, you may wish to consider a gift of closely held stock, tangible personal property (if it is related to the School’s educational programs) or irrevocable life insurance. A gift of any of these assets will entitle you to an income tax deduction equal to their fair market value of the date of the gift. You may take this deduction for up to thirty percent of your adjusted gross income with a carry over of any excess for up to five additional years.* Gifts that fall into this category must be reviewed by the School’s Gift Acceptance Committee. Planned Gifts, Bequests & Campaign Credit: The Hill School greatly encourages and appreciates future gifts made through one’s estate. Planned gifts in which the School’s interest is irrevocable and for which annual statements from the fiduciary are provided can be credited toward the School’s initiatives. These gifts are assets of the school and can be considered in the long-term planning of financial support. Past gifts of this kind were considered in setting the fund-raising goals of the Initiatives and recent gifts are reflected in the progress toward achieving and implementing them. Therefore, while sincerely appreciated and recognized with membership in The Matthew Meigs Society, bequest intentions or other gifts in which the School’s interest is revocable cannot be credited toward its financial goals. *If you are an alternative minimum taxpayer, you may have to exclude the appreciated portion of the value of your gift of appreciated property from your deduction thereby limiting your income tax deduction to your basis in the asset.