Your year-end support is especially critical to helping the UofM continue to educate the dreamers, thinkers and doers who will strengthen and lead this community. As 2011 comes to an end, and a new year with new opportunities unfolds, there are several options to make a year-end investment in the University in the most tax-wise and effective manner.

A gift of cash

Checks can be mailed to the University of Memphis Foundation, Department 238, P.O. Box 1000, Memphis, TN 38148-0001 or personally delivered to The Alumni Center at 635 Normal Street, Monday - Friday, between 8:00 and 4:30. Please note that the University of Memphis offices are closed from December 26, 2011 through January 2, 2012.

For your convenience, year-end gifts can be made by credit card online at any time at www.memphis.edu/giving. Automatic draft options are also available. Questions should be directed to gifts@memphis.edu

A gift of appreciated stock

If you have appreciated stock, you may be able to make a very tax-wise gift to the U of M Foundation. When you give appreciated stock, you may be able to take a deduction for its full value, not just its original cost, and may avoid the capital gains tax that would be incurred if you had sold it. For information on donating securities, please call 901-825-9083.

Gifts from retirement assets

Current charitable IRA rollover legislation expires December 31. If you are 70½ or older, you can make completely tax-free gifts from traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts.

Any amount up to a total of $100,000 may be directed from a traditional or Roth IRA and given directly to a charitable organization such as the U of M Foundation on a tax-free basis without worrying about normal deduction limitations, additional taxes on Social Security benefits, state income taxes in most cases, or other adverse tax consequences that might otherwise apply. Your gifts must be made directly to the University of Memphis Foundation and must be completed by December 31, 2011.

To qualify for the benefits of making gifts in this manner, it is important that tax-free gifts from your IRA not be withdrawn by you, but instead be distributed directly to one or more qualified charities from your IRA. Check with your IRA administrator or other advisors for more information.

Gifts must be made directly to qualified charities and may not be made to donor advised funds, private foundations, or supporting organizations, nor can tangible benefits (including athletic seating priority, tickets to events, etc.) be provided to you in exchange for any portion of your IRA charitable rollover contribution. Please call Dan Murrell at 901-678-2732 for more information.

Beneficiary Review

As the year winds down, and as you consider your financial and tax situation, this is also a good time to do a quick review of your total charitable giving and to review important documents. Among those documents should be those with beneficiary designations, e.g. life insurance policies, retirement plans, etc. Make sure those designations are up to date and in line with your other legal documents, and that they have included those people – and organizations – that you intend to remember. Using a beneficiary designation is a very easy way to include the University of Memphis Foundation in your estate planning.

This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. Before making your charitable gift, please consult with your financial, legal and other advisors.