Ways to Give

Making a charitable gift to Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is an important and personal decision. The satisfaction of giving comes in knowing that you are investing in the lives of individuals, businesses, and organizations that benefit each and every day from the college's history of excellence and service to students. We value your support and are committed to using private gifts wisely. If you would like to help make a difference in the lives of students and the future of our community, we have many options for you to make gifts of any size.

Only you can decide when and how to contribute to the College. The following information may be helpful as you consider the various ways you can support our endeavors and how you may benefit from tax advantages associated with certain types of charitable gifts.

Give Today

A simple and convenient way to contribute is to make a contribution by check or credit card. Make an online gift today! The advantage of giving a cash gift right now is that it has an immediate impact on academic programming. ECTC can receive gifts of cash, appreciated securities (shares of stock or mutual funds), or other property.

Give Later

A pledge is a formal Declaration of Intent to make a gift to ECTC. It may be followed by an immediate gift or it may confirm your intention to make a gift in the future. You may choose to complete your pledge by making regular payments over a period of time, which will allow you to maximize your contribution to ECTC.

Gifts in Honor or Memory

Gifts may be made in honor or memory of a loved one, friend, colleague, business, or to commemorate a special occasion.

Endowment

An endowment is a fund that is permanently invested.  Only the annual income generated from the investment is used for an unrestricted or restricted purpose.  Establishing an endowment is the best way to have a permanent impact on the future of the college and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

Planned Giving

Planned gifts are arrangements that usually require the assistance of a professional advisor to determine the specific tax advantages for you, your family members, and/or your estate. A planned gift maximizes your giving potential and can even allow you to ensure your future financial security or that of a loved one. If you are interested in a planned gift, please contact the college's Institutional Advancement Office.

ECTC Employee Payroll Deductions

As an Elizabethtown Community & Technical College employee, you can give a set amount per paycheck to the ECTC initiative of your choice. This includes student support, scholarships, and areas of greatest need. Contact Human Resources to get enrolled today!

Types of Gifts

Cash Gifts

A cash gift is usually made by a personal or business check, credit card, or by currency. Your income tax deduction is for the full amount of your gift, assuming no goods and/or services are received in return for the gift.

Matching Gifts

More than 1,400 businesses nationwide match the contributions of their employees. Check with your employer to determine if your gift can be matched on 1:1 ratio or more and to obtain the proper forms to direct the matching gift to ECTC.

Appreciated Securities

A gift of long-term appreciated securities has two major advantages:

1. it provides you with an immediate income tax deduction and
2. eliminates capital gains taxes to the extent allowed by law

Closely-Held Stock

With a gift of closely-held stock, you may receive a current income tax deduction and eliminate capital gains taxes for the fair market value of closely-held stock if valued over $10,000, or at the per-share cash purchase price if valued at $10,000 or less.

Real and Personal Property (In-Kind)

You may give a residence, land, or other real property as an outright gift-in-kind. The value of the donation is determined by an appraisal of the fair market value at the time of the transfer of ownership.

In some cases, you may wish to donate property in which you retain an interest. A gift of a remainder interest in a personal residence or farm provides you with a current income tax deduction for the present value of the remainder interest and also permits you to eliminate capital gains taxes on the appreciation.

Donations of personal property such as equipment, books, art, and jewelry may also be contributed under special guidelines established by the IRS.

Life Insurance

The gift of life insurance provides you with a charitable contribution for the present cash surrender value. Future premium payments following the transfer of ownership and beneficiary status of the policy also are tax-deductible.

Bequests

A provision in a will allows for a substantial contribution without diminishing assets during your lifetime. Since bequests are deductible from the estate, significant tax savings are possible.

Charitable Gift Annuities

A charitable gift annuity is actually part gift and part purchase of an irrevocable lifetime annuity contract. The portion that represents the gift to the college is deductible on your federal income tax return if you itemize your deductions. The size of the deduction is determined by your age, the amount of your gift, and a monthly interest rate factor provided by the IRS.

Charitable Lead Trust

A charitable lead trust allows you to place in trust assets that will be left to your heirs. In making your commitment to ECTC, you specify a set number of years during which a guaranteed amount or a fixed percentage of the value of the assets in the trust will be paid to the college. You pay a discounted gift tax when transferring assets to the trust and the trust's beneficiaries ultimately receive any remaining trust assets free of estate taxes.

Charitable Remainder Trust

This is an irrevocable, tax-exempt trust in which you place assets to provide income for yourself during a specific period of time (i.e., your lifetime or a period not to exceed 20 years). Afterward, the remaining assets are distributed to ECTC as a charitable gift.

The trust can be funded with an assortment of assets, including bonds, mutual funds, stocks, and real estate. There are no capital gains taxes on assets transferred to and sold through a charitable trust; it also has the potential to generate substantial income while at the same time creating an income tax deduction.

This information is not offered as financial or legal advice. Please consult your financial or legal advisors for guidance on the best method of charitable giving and potential tax consequences for you, your family and/or business.