Resources
Commitment Form Instructions
If you wish to make a commitment/gift:
1. Find the Commitment Form at the link above (or here)
2. Fill the form out when you know what you plan to give.
3. Mail or bring the form to the church by April 23rd.
4. If you haven’t returned your form by April 23, a Commitment Opportunities Task Group member will contact you to clarify your intent for support.
If you are unable or choose not to make a commitment/gift at this time:
1. Check the box on the Commitment Form indicating you do not plan to make a financial gift at this time, and sign at the bottom.
2. Mail or bring the form to church by April 23rd.
3. This will let us know that our Commitment Opportunities Task Group does NOT need to contact you.
If you have any questions, ask a member of the Campaign Leadership Team or email givegathergrow@LCC-Church.org
Explore Creative Giving Options
Give more than you thought possible. Including assets as a part of your contribution might open up new opportunities for you and the church. In most cases, asset-based giving is as simple as assigning ownership to the church. Of course, there are many variations on this theme.
Appreciated Assets Lakewood Congregational Church can accept gifts of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or personal property. For example: stock purchased years ago for $5,000 could have a market value of $20,000. Rather than selling the stock and paying income tax on the $15,000 capital gain, you can transfer the stock to the church and take a tax deduction based on the market value of the stock at the time of the gift. In this way, you would maximize your gift, and minimize your tax liability.
IRA Charitable Distribution Individuals age 70.5 or older may want to consider making your gift commitment through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA to Lakewood Congregational Church. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year. A QCD excludes the amount donated from taxable income, which is unlike regular withdrawals from an IRA. The maximum annual amount that can qualify for a QCD is $100,000. If you file taxes jointly, your spouse can also make a QCD from his or her own IRA within the same tax year for up to $100,000.
Life Insurance There are ways you can use life insurance as a gift-giving approach. For example, you could give the cash value accumulated in a policy, or donate the annual dividends of a policy. Consider making Lakewood Congregational Church the full or partial beneficiary of a policy that has outlived its original purpose.
Wills Making an unrestricted gift, or designating Lakewood Congregational Church through a will or trust is a significant expression of legacy stewardship. Designating a percentage gift in your will allows you to make a significant contribution that may not have been possible during your lifetime.
Deferred Trust Fund There are a variety of ways to give through trust funds which have advantages for short-term and long-term giving, as well as tax planning.
It is important to contact a donor advisor, attorney, or accountant for guidance if pursuing any of these gift options.