An Escape From the Real Estate Trap: Article

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Real estate investors often face a big challenge once they decide to sell their property. What seemed like substantial growth in value could be reduced by 20 to 30 percent – sometimes even more – by the tax bill. 

That’s where a real estate gift has significant benefits.  

By giving the property to Flat River Outreach Ministries, you will receive a charitable deduction and eliminate the tax bill you would have incurred had you sold the property outright. 

This is especially valuable for people looking to free themselves from residential rental property, farmland, commercial property, or even vacant land that was purchased as an investment. 

  


Is a real estate gift the right solution for your goals and situation? For a free, no-obligation, personalized illustration call Arianne Hall at 616-897-8260 ext. 135 or email arianneh@fromlowell.org. 

Q&As – Non-Cash Assets

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Q: What are the benefits of donating stock?

A: If you have appreciated stock or other securities you’ve owned for at least a year, you can receive a double tax benefit by donating to Flat River Outreach Ministries. Not only will you receive a tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock, but you’ll also avoid paying capital gains tax. This makes giving appreciated stock a much more cost-effective option than giving cash.

Q: Should I consider giving my real estate to Flat River Outreach Ministries?

A: Yes! Many people give more to Flat River Outreach Ministries at a lower cost than they ever thought possible through a gift of real estate!

Whether you want to sell a vacation home, farm, or rental property, giving real estate holds significant benefits for you AND your community. Not only will you receive an income tax deduction for the fair market value of the property, but you’ll also eliminate capital gains tax. All while supporting the important mission of Flat River Outreach Ministries.

Q: I’ve heard I can give directly from my crops. What are the benefits?

A: Give directly from your harvest to stretch the value of your donation!

By giving commodities — such as grains, soybeans, livestock and more — you can achieve greater Kingdom impact and experience personal tax savings. Giving from your harvest reduces your taxable income and provides the ability to deduct your production costs.

Q: How can I give to ministry through my Individual Retirement Account (IRA)?

A: If you are at least 70 ½ years old, you can give up to $100,000 from your IRA (or $200,000 for couples) to Flat River Outreach Ministries and receive significant tax benefits in return.

Any gifts from your IRA…

• reduce your taxable income (whether or not you itemize!),
• can be used to fulfill any charitable pledges you’ve made, AND
• will fulfill all or part of your required minimum distributions.

Q: Isn’t cash the best way to give to ministry?

A: While most charitable gifts are in the form of cash because this is so familiar, this is not always the most cost-effective way for you to give. You may be able to increase your potential impact— and experience significant tax benefits — by giving non-cash assets such as…

• Stock or marketable securities
• Real estate
• Business interests
• Farm commodities
• Life insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Tangible personal property

To learn more about giving non-cash assets or other smart and powerful giving options, contact Arianne at 616.897.8260 x 135 or arianneh@fromlowell.org.

“You just feel it.” – Marilyn’s FROM Journey

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“If you look at why I am here…you just feel it,” Marilyn, Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) volunteer, shared. At 92 years young, Marilyn is one of our oldest and longest continuously serving volunteers at FROM. Volunteering since the turn of the century, she’s served for 26 years, logging nearly 10,000 hours just since 2011! She and her daughters highlighted the camaraderie of volunteers, the folks she met, and the friendships that kept her involved over the years. These days, she volunteers in the craft area with her daughter, Beverly, but many will remember her from her days as the volunteer thrift store director, a position she held from the early 2000s until her retirement in January 2013. She has loved volunteering with her daughters Beverly and Diana over the years.

She shared in a 2013 FROM newsletter that she “fell” into the role as Thrift Store Director. “I had taken my daughter’s place as a supervisor, just overseeing one week a month, but we needed someone to provide direction and make decisions,” she shared in the newsletter. Marilyn was part of the team that moved our headquarters from Main St (the current home of Alpha Care Center) to our Fulton St location. She was also involved in the expansion of the thrift store when the donation room was added in December 2011. Serving as a volunteer isn’t always easy, but for Marilyn, it can be deeply rewarding when we all come together to serve. “It can be a hard job, but it works better when we’re working together,” Marilyn shares.

Marilyn highlighted stories from the early 2000s when volunteers would work together to stock the store – often taking clothing up and down multiple flights of stairs. She also appreciates that the volunteer role can be molded to your interests and hobbies and encourages everyone to consider signing up and trying it out – or at least pop into the thrift store for a shop! “I think you should really look into it. We go pretty much on what your hobby is,” Marilyn said. “It’s what you like to do; you’re not just given a job.”

“Marilyn’s dedication to serving others and supporting the community is truly inspiring. Her words are a powerful reminder of our shared purpose,” Wendie, FROM Executive Director, shared. “In the midst of daily tasks and responsibilities, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture – but at the heart of it all, we are here to make a difference in the lives of others.”

The Cure for Your Real Estate Headaches

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Reduce Taxes and Burdens by Giving Property

Sometimes the cost and hassles of owning real estate outweigh the benefits that your property once offered.

Can you relate to any of these ownership headaches?

  • Managing repairs, finding tenants, and collecting delinquent payments for rental properties
  • Maintaining and paying the bills for a vacation home you seldom visit
  • Deciding what to do with farmland or commercial property that your heirs don’t want

If you have real estate that you no longer need or care to manage, you can reduce your costs and headaches by giving all or part of it to Flat River Outreach Ministries.

When you give real estate to Flat River Outreach Ministries, you will receive a charitable deduction at the time of the gift. You’ll also avoid the immediate tax bill on its sale.

Is giving real estate a good option for you? Learn more by calling Arianne at 616.897.8260 x 135 or emailing arianneh@fromlowell.org