Giving

A Donor-Advised Fund, or DAF, offers a flexible and potentially tax-efficient way to support The Williams School. A donor can contribute assets to a DAF, potentially receive an immediate charitable deduction, and then recommend grants from the fund to charitable organizations such as Williams over time.

To recommend a DAF grant to Williams, provide your fund administrator with:

• Legal Name: The Williams School

• Tax ID / EIN: 06-0646964

• Address: 182 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT 06320

When recommending your grant, ask your fund administrator to include your name and preferred contact information. This allows Williams to acknowledge your gift properly and ensure it is directed according to your intentions.

DAF grants may also be initiated through providers such as Fidelity Charitable, DAFgiving360 (formerly Schwab Charitable), or BNY Charitable.

Gifts at any level may be designated for a particular School priority or area of interest.

Donors may also choose to make an unrestricted gift. Unrestricted support is especially valuable because it gives Williams the flexibility to direct funds toward the programs, opportunities, or needs where they can have the greatest impact.

Cash gifts are among the easiest and most common ways to support Williams.

Checks may be made payable to:

The Williams School
Development Office
182 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320

Credit card gifts may also be made through the School’s secure, online giving form.

Donating appreciated securities held for more than 12 months may provide two potential benefits.

First, a donor may be eligible to claim a charitable income-tax deduction based on the value of the securities transferred.

Second, donating the securities directly rather than selling them first may allow the donor to avoid capital-gains tax on the appreciation that otherwise could have resulted from a sale.

Receiving Firm Information

DTC Eligible Securities

All deliveries were instructed to include the client name and account number.

DTC Clearing Number: 0164 — Schwab, Code 40

Account Name: WILLIAMS MEMORIAL INSTITUTE

Account Number: 8850-6717

Donors making a stock gift were also asked to provide the Williams Development Office with:

• Their name

• The name of the stock being contributed

• Number of shares

• Name of the bank or brokerage transferring the stock

• Approximate date of the transfer

• Intended purpose of the gift, such as the Annual Fund, a pledge payment, or the endowment

Williams accepts pledges that may be fulfilled over a period of three to five years.

Many employers provide charitable matching-gift programs for employees. We encourage donors to ask their employer whether gifts to The Williams School qualify for a corporate match.

Depending on the employer’s program, completing the required matching-gift documentation could double or even triple the value of an individual’s gift.

Matching gifts are credited to the donor’s personal giving record. 

Bequests of all sizes provide meaningful support to The Williams School.

A donor may include Williams in a will and designate the School to receive all or a portion of an estate.

Depending on the donor’s circumstances, a charitable bequest may also reduce federal estate taxes or applicable state inheritance taxes.

A bequest can be structured in several ways, including:

• A percentage of an estate

• A specific asset

• A specific dollar amount

• The remainder of an estate

A donor may also establish an arrangement that provides lifetime income to another individual before the remaining principal ultimately passes to The Williams School.

Minimum Gift: $25,000

A Charitable Gift Annuity as an option generally intended for donors age 70 or older.

A donor transfers cash or securities to Williams and receives a fixed stream of income for life. The annuity rate depends on the age and number of annuitants.

Rates and percentages examples are below:

• 6.8% for a single donor age 80

• Rates as high as 9% for donors age 90 and older

Payments can be made quarterly, at the end of:

• March

• June

• September

• December

You may receive a charitable income-tax deduction calculated in part according to the age and number of annuitants. When appreciated securities are used, the arrangement may defer recognition of a portion of the capital gain.

Part of each annuity payment may receive favorable tax treatment based on the donor’s life expectancy at the time the gift is established.

A Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity allows a donor to make a gift of cash or securities to Williams today while choosing to begin receiving fixed lifetime payments at a future date.

Because payments are deferred, the annuity rate is generally higher than for an immediate gift annuity and typically increases with a longer deferral period. The rate is established when the gift is made and is based on factors including the donor’s age and the length of the deferral period.

Potential Benefits

A deferred gift annuity may:

• Provide fixed lifetime payments beginning at a future date.

• Offer a higher payment rate than an immediate gift annuity.

• Provide a partial charitable income-tax deduction in the year the gift is made, subject to applicable tax rules and limitations.

• Spread recognition of some capital gain over time when appreciated securities are used to fund the annuity, depending on the donor’s circumstances.

This option may be especially attractive for donors who do not need income today but would like to establish a future income stream while making a meaningful gift to Williams.

Suggested Minimum: $100,000

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is an irrevocable trust that can provide income to you or other beneficiaries while ultimately supporting Williams. A CRT may be particularly useful for donors with appreciated assets who wish to diversify those assets while potentially deferring capital-gains taxes associated with their sale.

Assets are transferred to the trust, which provides payments to one or more beneficiaries for life or for a term of up to 20 years. At the end of the trust term, the remaining assets pass to Williams and/or other qualified charitable organizations.

Depending on the type of CRT, payments may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the trust’s annually determined value. Under current federal law, the payout rate must generally be between 5% and 50%, and the charitable remainder must have an initial value of at least 10% of the assets contributed.

Potential Benefits

A CRT may:

• Provide income for life or a specified term.

• Accept cash, appreciated securities, and, in appropriate circumstances, real estate or other assets.

• Defer recognition of capital gains when appreciated assets are sold by the trust, although distributions to beneficiaries may be taxable.

• Provide a partial charitable income-tax deduction based on the present value of the charitable remainder interest.

• Help support estate and philanthropic planning objectives.

Establishing a CRT

Because CRTs involve important legal, tax, and financial considerations, donors should consult their own attorney, tax advisor, and financial advisor when considering this type of gift.

Williams can work with donors and their professional advisors to explore whether a charitable remainder trust may be appropriate for their philanthropic goals.

A Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) is an irrevocable trust designed to provide support to Williams for a specified period while ultimately transferring the remaining assets to family members or other beneficiaries.

During the trust term, Williams and/or other qualified charitable organizations receive payments from the trust. When the term ends, the remaining assets pass to the donor’s designated beneficiaries.

Potential Benefits

Depending on how the trust is structured, a CLT may:

• Provide meaningful charitable support for a specified period.

• Transfer assets to children, grandchildren, or other beneficiaries at a potentially reduced gift or estate-tax cost.

• Provide a charitable income-tax deduction in certain structures, subject to applicable tax rules and limitations.

• Offer planning opportunities for assets expected to appreciate over time.

A Charitable Lead Trust may be particularly appropriate for donors who wish to support Williams while incorporating charitable giving into their broader estate and family wealth-transfer plans. Donors should consult their legal, tax, and financial advisors to determine whether a CLT is appropriate for their circumstances.

A gift of real estate can provide meaningful support to Williams while helping donors simplify the management of property they no longer wish to own.

Depending on the property and the donor’s circumstances, a gift of appreciated real estate held for more than one year may:

• Qualify for a charitable income-tax deduction based on the property’s appraised fair-market value, subject to applicable tax rules and limitations.

• Avoid recognition of capital gain that might otherwise result from an outright sale.

• Reduce the responsibilities and expenses associated with owning and maintaining the property.

Real estate gifts may include a home, vacation property, commercial property, or undeveloped land. Properties with mortgages or other restrictions may present additional tax and legal considerations.

All proposed gifts of real estate are subject to review and acceptance by Williams. Donors should consult their legal and tax advisors to determine the implications of a real estate gift for their individual circumstances.

A Retained Life Estate allows a donor to make a future gift of a personal residence or farm to Williams while retaining the right to use and enjoy the property for life.

The donor transfers the property’s remainder interest to Williams but continues to occupy and use the property during their lifetime. The donor generally remains responsible for property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other ownership expenses.

Potential Benefits

A retained life estate may:

• Allow the donor to continue living in or using the property for life.

• Provide a current charitable income-tax deduction based on the calculated present value of Williams’ future interest, subject to applicable tax rules and limitations.

• Create a significant future gift to Williams without requiring the donor to give up use of the property today.

All proposed gifts of real estate are subject to review and acceptance by Williams. Donors should consult their legal and tax advisors to determine whether a retained life estate is appropriate for their circumstances.

Donors may support Williams through gifts of tangible personal property, such as artwork, collections, equipment, or other valuable assets.

Depending on the type of property, how long it has been held, and how Williams uses it, a donor may qualify for a charitable income-tax deduction. Gifts related to the School’s educational mission may receive more favorable tax treatment under applicable federal tax rules.

Potential Benefits

A gift of tangible personal property may:

• Provide a charitable income-tax deduction, subject to applicable rules and limitations.

• Put valuable property to meaningful use in support of Williams’ mission.

• Reduce the value of assets included in the donor’s estate.

All gifts of tangible personal property are subject to review and acceptance by Williams. Donors should consult their tax and legal advisors regarding valuation, appraisal requirements, and the tax treatment of a proposed gift.

A life insurance policy that is no longer needed for its original purpose can be a meaningful way to support Williams.

Donors may name The Williams School as a beneficiary of an existing policy or, in certain circumstances, transfer ownership of a policy to the School. An irrevocable transfer of ownership may qualify for a charitable income-tax deduction, subject to applicable tax rules and limitations.

Potential Benefits

A gift of life insurance may:

• Turn an existing policy into a future charitable gift.

• Provide a charitable income-tax deduction when ownership of a qualifying policy is transferred to Williams.

• Offer flexibility by naming Williams as a full or partial beneficiary of a policy.

The tax treatment of life insurance gifts varies depending on the policy and how the gift is structured. Donors should consult their insurance, tax, and legal advisors and contact the Williams Development Office before transferring ownership of a policy.