donate gifts of securities

Donations of appreciated securities or mutual funds support The Guidance Center’s lifechanging work while offering tax and financial benefits to you, the donor.

• You are eligible for a charitable income tax deduction on the fair market value of the securities on the date of transfer.
• You pay no capital gains tax on securities you donate that you’ve held for more than one year.
• Donating securities can help you re-balance your portfolio.

Please note you should always consult with your financial advisor before initiating a charitable gift arrangement.

To transfer shares of appreciated securities or mutual funds to The Guidance Center, or for more information, please contact Lorraine, Lyou, Chief Development Officer:

Contact: Lorraine Lyou
Email:  llyou@tgclb.org
Phone: 562-485-2276

Turn Your Retirement Savings into a Meaningful Gift

Qualified charitable distributions (QCD) allow you to instruct your Individual Retirement Account administrator to direct your Required Minimum Distribution, or RMD, (up to $105,000 per year) to a qualified 501(c)(3) charity. Note: donor-advised funds do not qualify. Since the IRA distribution is sent directly to the charity through your plan administrator, the QCD is not reported as taxable income. This is a win-win option for donors who want to support non-profit charitable organizations, such as The Guidance Center, in a tax-advantaged way!

Who this applies to
If you are age 70 1/2 or older, you can transfer up to $105,000 from your traditional IRA to a charity. If you are 73 or older, the transfer counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution and allows you to avoid paying income tax on the distribution, while supporting The Guidance Center. The important part is to remember that the distribution must pass directly to the recipient, The Guidance Center.

How to Give
Since each person’s situation is unique, we always recommend that you discuss the benefits of an RMD gift with your professional advisor before making the gift.

If you are ready to go, you can notify your IRA administrator using this Distribution Request Letter template:

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

[Name of IRA administrator]
[IRA administrator address]

RE: Request for a Qualified Charitable Distribution or Charitable Rollover from IRA

Dear IRA administrator:

Please accept this letter as my request to make a qualified charitable distribution, also known as a charitable rollover from my Individual Retirement Account #[ ______________________] as provided in The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 and Section 408(d)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Please issue a check in the amount of $[___________] payable to The Guidance Center and mail it to:

The Guidance Center
Development Department ATTN:  Lorraine Lyou
1301 Pine Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90813

In your transmittal, please include my name and address as the donor of record in connection with the distribution and copy me.

It is my intention that this distribution qualify for exclusion from my taxable income during the [insert tax year].

If you have any questions or need to contact me, I can be reached at [insert contact information].

Thank you.

[Your Name and Email]

Contact: Lorraine Lyou
Email:  llyou@tgclb.org
Phone: 562-485-2276
Federal Tax ID:  95-1691017

Give Through Your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

A donor-advised fund (DAF) lets you recommend a charitable gift to The Guidance Center directly from your fund. Many donors choose DAFs because they offer flexibility, potential tax advantages, and a simple way to support children and families in our community.

How to Give
If you have a DAF through organizations such as Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or Vanguard Charitable, you can recommend a grant to The Guidance Center using your DAF provider’s online portal. When submitting a grant recommendation, please use the information below:

Legal Name: The Guidance Center
Federal Tax ID: 95-1691017
Address: 1301 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90813
Contact: Development Department (Attn: Lorraine Lyou)
Email: llyou@tgclb.org
Phone: 562-485-2276

We appreciate your generosity and are happy to assist with any questions you may have.