People often ask “what’s the best way to make a gift to St. Mark's School?” Our answer: “It’s what works best for you.” You may choose to simply write a check or transfer appreciated stock to save on capital gains tax. Or perhaps you prefer to make your gift by bequest or through a beneficiary designation because you want the flexibility of controlling your resources.

But by combining several gift options you can make the greatest charitable impact with the most benefit to you. With a “blended gift” you can enjoy the benefits of several different types of charitable gifts while you provide support for the important work of St. Mark's.

For example, let’s take a look at two people, Sarah and Jason, who each want to make a gift of $100,000, but take different approaches in order to meet their individual objectives.

Sarah wants to see her gift at work as soon as possible, but she also has concerns about retirement and making sure she doesn’t run out of money. She decides to blend three different gifts to St. Mark's:

  • Sarah makes an outright gift of stock, currently worth $30,000. Although the stock has increased in value over the years, it pays no dividends so giving it does not affect her income. Sarah is gratified that her outright gift will make a difference right away and pleased to know that she will avoid the capital gains tax she would have paid if she had sold the stock.
  • Next, Sarah contributes $20,000 in cash in exchange for a charitable gift annuity, a contract from St. Mark's promising her a life-time stream of payments which helps with her concerns about retirement income. Sarah finds particularly appealing the fact that a portion of her gift annuity payments are tax free and that, at the end of her lifetime, her gift will support St. Mark’s.
  • Finally, Sarah includes a gift of $50,000 to St. Mark's in her will. This gift gives Sarah the security of still having control of these assets during her lifetime.

Jason establishes a $100,000 named endowment fund but wants to spread out the funding over several years in order to better accommodate his financial needs. Jason blends two different gifts to St. Mark's.

  • Jason pledges to contribute $10,000 each year toward his endowment with the understanding that it will not become permanent until it is fully funded.
  • Then, in order to make certain that his endowment is fully funded, he names St. Mark's as the remainder beneficiary of his retirement account, with the funds directed to his endowment.

Blended gifts offer a boundless array of ways to meld your financial and charitable interests. As you think of your giving to St. Mark's we would be happy to talk with you about how to make it fit just right for you. Please reach out to Stephanie Katz, Director of Major Gifts at 508-786-6128 or stephaniekatz@stmarksschool.org to start a conversation.