Charitable Gift Annuity

A gift annuity is a simple, contractual agreement between a donor and the Foundation in which you transfer assets to us in exchange for our promise to pay one or two annuitants payments for life.

By donating through a gift annuity, you: (1) contract for a fixed payment for yourself or yourself and another individual, if you choose, and (2) make a gift to MSU.

For a period of years, based on a government table of life expectancies, a portion of each payment received is considered a nontaxable return of your investment in the gift. This further increases your after-tax dollars available for spending or investing.

Annuity rates are higher for older annuitants and lower for younger annuitants, based on life expectancy. As a result, gift annuity contracts are generally more appealing to older donors because the purchasing power of a fixed dollar return can shrink over any long period, even with modest inflation.

With a deferred payment gift annuity, the start of payments is delayed until a specific date, initially determined by the donor. Deferral of payments increases the initial income tax charitable deduction, tax savings and the annuity rate. However, it also reduces the nontaxable amounts to be received. This option is appealing to younger donors who wish to improve future income, such as at retirement.

Charitable gift annuities are an excellent method of achieving your philanthropic goals and gaining substantial tax benefits. As with most contract agreements, however, before establishing a charitable gift annuity, it is best to consult knowledgeable professionals.

The Montclair State University Foundation is available to answer any questions and provide projected results for your specific situation, in confidence and with no obligation.

There may be minimums associated with this type of gift. For more information, please contact Jan Smith at 973-655-3439 or via email at smithja@mail.montclair.edu.