Contribute to a donor advised fund and enjoy a tax savings on that amount when you itemize.

To do: Complete the contribution by December 31. You do not have to designate the funds this calendar year to receive the tax benefits

Double your gift with a matching gift from your company: 

Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please contact your company's HR department to see if this is available to you. 

If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it completed and signed with your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to De Smet Jesuit may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses. Please direct matching gift forms and any questions to Chrissy Chapo, cchapo@desmet.org, or 314-785-1227

Using publicly traded stock to make a gift to De Smet Jesuit can be a very tax-wise method of giving, especially if the stock has appreciated in value since you acquired it. Giving appreciated stock saves you tax dollars in two ways:

• First, you will receive an income-tax deduction for the current value of the stock. This value is the average of the high and low price on the transfer date.
• Second, you avoid paying the tax on the capital gain of the stock.

If the stock is currently held in a brokerage account: Simply request that your broker transfer the stock into the brokerage account of De Smet Jesuit. Your broker will require that you sign a document authorizing the transfer. De Smet Jesuit’s brokerage account information is:

Merrill Lynch
400 Chesterfield Center, Suite 200
Chesterfield, MO 63017
De Smet’s Representative at Merrill Lynch: Richard Wurl Phone: (636) 537-4556

Account Number: 557-04359
DTC: Number: 8862
FBO: De Smet Jesuit High School

• De Smet Jesuit’s Federal Tax ID Number: 43-1102368
• PLEASE NOTIFY DE SMET JESUIT THAT YOU HAVE MADE THIS TRANSFER. Simply give us a call at (314) 567-3500 and ask for the Advancement Office, or email with the details.

If you have stock certificates yourself: Simply date and sign where indicated on the back of each certificate. Then, send the certificates to De Smet Jesuit along with a “Relinquishment Letter” which has your notarized signature. Attached is a sample Relinquishment Letter that you may use. Simply fill in the blanks and sign it in front of a Notary Public. De Smet Jesuit has a Notary Public on staff and we can usually arrange for notary service at no charge. The Relinquishment Letter should accompany your certificates when they are delivered to De Smet Jesuit.

Assets You Didn’t Know You Had

Here are some assets you may not have considered and the impact they can have on your taxes when you use them charitably.

IRA Distribution

• If you are 59½ or older, you can take a distribution from your IRA and then make a gift to De Smet Jesuit without penalty. If you itemize your deductions, you can take a charitable deduction for the amount.

• If you are 70½ or older, you can give any amount up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to De Smet Jesuit. You will not pay income taxes on the transfer. If you are 72 or older, you can use this transfer to satisfy your required minimum distribution.

To do: We must receive your gift by December 31 for your donation to qualify this year. If you have check-writing features on your IRA, please be aware that your check must clear your account by December 31 to count toward your required minimum distribution for the calendar year.

Appreciated Stock

You may enjoy two tax benefits with a gift of appreciated stock: Avoid paying taxes on the appreciated value, and qualify for an income tax charitable deduction based on today’s market value, when you itemize.

To do: Complete all transfers by December 31. This includes electronic transfer, hand-delivery of the securities, or mailed stock and stock power (mailed separately for security).

Good End-of-Year Planning

Check these off your to-do list to end the year on an organized note.

• Update your will or living trust. Review your will or trust for any life change such as a birth, death, marriage, or a move to a different state.
• Review your retirement plan beneficiaries. Remove any beneficiary on your life insurance or retirement plans who is deceased or is a former spouse, and consider adding a charitable organization like De Smet Jesuit.
• Review your life insurance policy. If you have a policy that is no longer a significant piece of your estate plan, consider making a gift by assigning ownership to De Smet Jesuit or making us the beneficiary.
• Durable power of attorney. Make sure your durable powers of attorney for financial matters and health care are current. A copy of the financial power of attorney should be given to your appointed agent, while a copy of your health care power of attorney should be provided to both your agent and health care providers.
• Safe-deposit box. Catalog the contents of your safe-deposit box. Give a written copy to a trusted family member and note any items you are holding for someone else.
• Bank or brokerage accounts. Name designated heirs or De Smet Jesuit as a recipient of bank or brokerage account proceeds after your lifetime.*
• Charitable contributions. If you’ve included a gift to De Smet Jesuit in your estate plan, review the details of your gift and let the school and your loved ones know of your intentions. This will guarantee that your wishes are carried out after your lifetime.

*State laws govern payable on death accounts and transfer on death accounts. Please consult with your bank representative or investment advisor if you are considering these gifts.

How to Make a Tribute Gift

If you know someone who values the meaningful work we do at De Smet Jesuit, consider making a donation in his or her honor. These tribute gifts are also a great way to remember loved ones who are no longer with us. There are three easy ways to give a tribute gift to De Smet Jesuit:

• Make a gift today. An outright gift can help fund our immediate needs or an upcoming project. The financial benefits include an income tax charitable deduction when you itemize deductions on your federal income tax return, and the possible elimination of capital gains tax.
• Make a gift through your estate plan. Include a gift in your will or living trust, stating that a specific asset, certain dollar amount or percentage of your estate will pass to De Smet Jesuit after your lifetime in honor of your loved one.
• Make a gift that lives on forever. Honorary endowments can be made now or through your estate plan. Endowments are structured so that a small portion of your gift, rather than the whole amount, is used each year to fund a particular purpose. To perpetuate the fund forever, the majority of the fund always remains intact and is invested for the future.

What’s on Your List?

As we approach the end of the year, we’re happy to help ensure that you realize the most tax benefit. Please feel free to contact Chrissy Chapo, Senior Director of Institutional Advancement, at 314-785-1227 for any questions. 

De Smet Jesuit Scholarship Program

De Smet Jesuit’s Named Scholarship Program provides an opportunity to give the gift of a Jesuit education to future generations of students. It enables donors to honor and recognize significant individuals, such as alumni, faculty, or family by creating an endowment from which the earnings will be utilized to provide financial aid to De Smet Jesuit students.

Currently, a fully endowed scholarship, meaning that on average the endowment principal should earn enough to provide one tuition annually, requires an investment of $500,000. This is based on an estimated 4.5% return. This target amount will increase periodically as the cost of tuition increases. Benefactors can protect against the increase by completing a pledge form that states the intention to fully meet the current goal within five years.

To partially endow a scholarship, the minimum contribution is $30,000.

For additional information, please contact Chrissy Chapo, Senior Director of Institutional Advancement , at 314.785.1227 or cchapo@desmet.org.

Frequently, people who would like to help support De Smet Jesuit need to preserve their financial resources for the immediate future, for their lifetimes, or even for a child's future. In such cases donors can make a planned gift, which can provide valuable tax benefits for a donor in the present and valuable resources for De Smet Jesuit in the future.

Click here to learn more about planned giving at De Smet Jesuit.

De Smet Jesuit Federal Tax Id # 43-1102368

De Smet Jesuit is a 501c3 organization.