Online Giving

Charitable Opportunities

There are several methods available for making contributions to charitable organizations. It is important that all donors to Highland be aware of all their options. Outlined below are some of the ways to make current or planned gifts to Highland School.

Current Gifts

Gifts of Cash - Cash gifts are immediately available to the School for both donor designated or undesignated purposes. Cash gifts tend to be the most common means of philanthropy.

Gifts of Securities, Real Estate and Personal Property - Transferring securities, either stocks or bonds, allows you to make a gift to the School and receive a charitable deduction equal to the full fair market value. You also may avoid paying a capital gains tax on your charitable contribution. Gifts of real estate can have special benefits for both the donor and the recipient. You may give real estate as a current gift and receive a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the gift.

Matching Gifts - Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to make charitable contributions. Matching gifts are a great vehicle for donors to maximize the impact of their gift. Corporate matching programs will vary, so if you are interested in availability of this program, you should check directly with your employer.

Memorial and Tributes - Memorial or tribute gifts provide you with the opportunity to recognize those who have made an impact on your life. This type of gift is a sincere way to celebrate the life and accomplishments of a relative, friend, teacher or student. Highland School offers a number of pooled funds that pay tribute to people with special ties to the School.

Planned Gifts

Bequests (By Will) - A charitable bequest, a simple provision in your will, is the most common planned gift. You may make a charitable bequest in a variety of methods:

• giving a specific amount
• giving a specific property
• giving a percentage of your total estate
• giving the residue of your estate
• giving a contingent bequest

Your charitable bequest is deductible for estate tax purposes. This gift may significantly reduce or eliminate federal estate tax.

Life Income Plans - You can make a significant gift to help Highland's students or educational programs while using these assets to provide income for you, your spouse or another designated recipient. The methods of giving described below have been developed to help you give while enhancing your family's quality of life, both now and in the future. You may find that you can give at a lower cost through careful planning.

Charitable Remainder Trust - The charitable remainder trust has become a very popular gift plan, because the assets within the trust provide lifetime income to you or to another designated beneficiary. Through the remainder gift, a donor may contribute assets, such as securities or real estate and retain for life the income from those assets, for himself, a spouse or both. A remainder gift allows the donor to take an income tax deduction for the charitable portion of the value of the gift. In addition, if the gift is in the form of appreciated securities or real estate, the donor may not pay capital gains tax on the appreciation.

Life Insurance - Life insurance provides a convenient way to fund meaningful gifts. You may simply name Highland School as the beneficiary of part or all of your insurance policy proceeds. A policy that is no longer needed for the protection for which it was originally intended, may be used to help you meet your philanthropic goals. By making Highland School the owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you receive a charitable deduction.

For more information, please contact the Advancement Office.

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