Planned Giving » Lower Your Taxes

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Gift of Real Estate

If you have real estate you wish to protect from a taxable capital gain or that you would like to convert to an income stream, a gift of real estate to Case Western Reserve University can be a good solution.

A variety of options can even allow you to continue to live at the property for the remainder of your lifetime or for the lifetime of a loved one.

How it Works: A range of alternative gift options can allow a donor the option of continuing to live in a primary residence through his or her lifetime or the lifetime of another individual before a property is sold, while still realizing tax benefits. If a donor moves out of the residence, the arrangement can be restructured at that time so as to permit the use of another property.

Individuals who have relied on a property to produce income can use a gift of property to fund a life-income gift. In any of the many types of life-income gifts, the donor designates a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive income payments and names Case Western Reserve to receive the principal when the payment obligation is fulfilled.

Unique Benefits: Gift of real estate provide tax benefits that make them even more attractive:

• Reduce or avoid capital gains taxes.

• Enjoy an immediate deduction on your federal income taxes.

• Potentially increase your cash flow.

To start a conversation about lowering your taxes through a real estate gift to benefit CWRU Crew, please contact the university's Office of Planned Giving at 1-877-477-1143.

Gift of Property

Gifts to Case Western Reserve University take many forms, and the university welcomes gifts of property other than cash and securities.

Sometimes these contributions directly relate to Case Western Reserve's educational mission. Other property gifts allow the university to sell the asset and convert it to cash.

How it Works: The university accepts a wide range of property gifts, including rare books and manuscripts; artwork; scientific instruments; computer software; patents; copyrights and other intellectual property; oil and gas interests; royalty interests; and commercial real estate.

Using an instrument of transfer that is appropriate for the property involved, you transfer the title to Case Western Reserve. The gift can be made with no restrictions or as a funding vehicle for a charitable gift annuity or other life income arrangement.

Please note that federal income tax rules require that most gifts of this sort be supported by an appraisal and certain kinds of property gifts are subject to special income tax rules, which should be discussed with your tax advisor. It is important to discuss any gift of property with Case Western Reserve development personnel prior to the time of transfer to ensure that the university can in fact make use of the property and that it does not inadvertently expose itself to any associated liabilities.

Unique Benefits: You can enjoy multiple benefits from a gift of property:

• An income tax deduction for the value of the property contributed.

• Avoidance of the costs and hassle associated with the sale of such property.

• Avoidance or deferral of capital gains taxes upon transfer of the property to the university and upon any subsequent sale of the property.

• Satisfaction of seeing your family heirloom or collection benefiting the Case Western Reserve community on an ongoing basis.

To start a conversation about lowering your taxes through a property gift to benefit CWRU Crew, please contact the university's Office of Planned Giving at 1-877-477-1143.