When she was growing up in the Midwest, Sue could not have imagined her mother’s work establishing a local hospital would spark her passion for supporting a hospital in her own community decades later.

But after her job took Sue to Europe where she met her husband, Steve, that is exactly the path she has taken.

Their careers in the entertainment industry eventually brought them to the West Coast. Sue began volunteering at a nearby community hospital, and Steve joined the hospital’s board of directors. Meanwhile, they made cash gifts to support annual fundraising efforts.

Everything changed for them when their financial advisor, Tony Valazza, explained how they could increase the impact of their gifts while also implementing strategies to reduce taxes.

The couple established a donor-advised fund with a gift to Thrivent Charitable of highly appreciated stock. They avoided capital gains on the securities they had held for years and benefited from a significant tax deduction spread over several years.

“Tony helped us become more strategic in our giving,” Steve says. “When you bought stock at $10 per share and it’s now valued at $80, it’s a donation that’s good for the charity and for us.”

Donating appreciated assets, such as stocks and mutual funds, may maximize the value of your gift and create an even greater financial impact for the causes you care about. For Sue and Steve, those causes are health care and education.

“We’re two people from very different backgrounds, but we discovered that we look at the world with similar values,” Steve says. Sue adds, “We are blessed to be in a position to help other people and give back.”

Using a donor-advised fund to accomplish their giving goals makes sense for the couple. Their contributions are tax deductible and have potential to grow tax-free in the fund until they designate gifts to charities they support.

Sue and Steve frequently talk with their financial advisor about ways to maximize their gifts using resources available to them through Thrivent Charitable.

Sue says, “The quality of the company gives us a feeling of comfort. You know you can trust them.”

Unlike many local charities, Thrivent Charitable is equipped to accept a wide range of noncash assets, including:

• Publicly traded stocks and mutual funds.
• Real estate. 
• Farmland/crops/livestock/equipment. 
• Life insurance.  
• Cryptocurrency.  
• Privately held stock/family businesses. 

Your financial advisor can help you be more strategic with your donations and find tax-advantaged ways to carry out your giving goals in collaboration with Thrivent Charitable. Talk to your Thrivent financial advisor or contact Thrivent Charitable today.

You can learn more about giving noncash assets for charitable purposes at thriventcharitable.com/noncashassets.