Avoid Taxes with Planned Giving

Planned Giving is a unique way to turn your assets into preserved land.  There are a variety of ways that you can take a charitable tax deduction while supporting The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama:

Land Donation:  The most common gift is the donation of land.  The amount of your tax deduction is based on the appraised value of the property.   These North Alabama properties will be preserved for greenspace or developed for passive recreation.  

Conservation Easement:  See About Easements

Life Estate: A landowner may wish to make a donation of land while retaining the right to use the land until death.  The act of donating land now to take effect after death of the owner is call the gift of a "remainder interest" and the retained right of use is called a "life estate."  The important difference between a conservation easement and a remainder interest lies in the ownership.  While a landowner retains ownership when donating a conservation easement, ownership is relinquished upon death with the gift of a remainder interest.  In this case family land can be saved but not for future use by family members.

Gifts of Cash & Securities:  A gift of cash is the easiest way to help support the preservation of land.  The Land Trust then can place the money into a specified account that is only used for additional land purchases or maintenance of current properties.

A gift of stocks, bonds or mutual funds that have been held for more than one year can become a substantial deduction with the donation of these assets.  The value of the gift is based on the value of the security on the date of the gift.

Or you can take a capital loss yourself.  If your securities are worth less now than when you purchased them, you can sell them and contribute the proceeds.  Then you can take the capital loss on your tax return, subject to limitations and a charitable deduction for the gift of the proceeds.