Ways to Give – Full Information

Memorials & Tributes

Memorial or Tribute gifts are a meaningful way to honor or celebrate those special to you while supporting our mission. Anniversary, Birthday, Memorial, or just because, are great occasions to let others know you are honoring them in this special way. Provide the mail address for the honoree, and we’ll send them a note. 

Beneficiary Designation

If your estate is the beneficiary of your tax-deferred retirement plan, the residual amount in your plan may incur income and estate taxes before being divided under the terms of your will. As an alternative, it may be advantageous to directly designate a charity as your beneficiary, saving both income taxes and estate taxes. It is important to remember that the designation of a charity like Saint John’s as a beneficiary of retirement assets, or life insurance, cannot simply be written in your will or trust. Saint John’s must be designated and recorded as the beneficiary with the retirement plan or life insurance policy. 

You are invited to leave your legacy at the School of Theology and Seminary. Please inform us in writing and include a copy of the beneficiary page from your retirement plan or insurance policy stating the specific provision for Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. The Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary federal ID is #453656162. 

We encourage you to provide your attorney with the following language: 

I give $______ to Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, an operating division of Saint John’s University, Federal ID #453656162, a Minnesota corporation located in Collegeville, Minnesota. 

IRA

There’s good news for individuals aged 73 or older with individual retirement accounts. Thanks to the extended charitable IRA legislation, you can make outright gifts using IRA funds without tax complications.

If you are required to receive minimum distributions from your IRA and you do not need the money for personal use, consider using those funds as a charitable gift. While you cannot claim a charitable deduction for the IRA gifts, you will not pay income tax on the amount. You also will not need paperwork to prove a gift.

You may contribute funds this way if:

• You are 73 or older
• Your IRA gifts total $100,000 or less each year
• You transfer funds directly from an IRA
• You transfer the gifts outright to one or more public charities (This excludes gifts made to charitable trusts, donor advised funds and supporting organizations.)

The benefits:

• In most cases, the transfer counts toward your minimum required distributions.
• The gift generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so even those who do not itemize their tax returns receive the benefit.
• You may transfer up to $100,000 directly from your IRA in 2014.
• The distributions may be in addition to or fulfill any charitable giving you have already planned.

The next step:
Be sure to contact tax professionals and your IRA administrator if you are considering a gift under this law. Here is our printable IRA instruction sheet.

Funding a Charitable Gift Annuity with your IRA

You can also fund your gift using your IRA assets. If you are 70½ and older, you can make a once-in-a-lifetime election to fund one or more gift annuities. If funded in 2024, the maximum funding amount is $53,000.  This amount is adjusted annually for inflation and is expected to increase to $54,000 in 2025.  While your gift does not qualify for an income tax deduction, it does escape income tax liability on the transfer and count toward all or part of your required minimum distributions.

Important Things to Consider with This Gift

• If you are required to take minimum distributions, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your obligation.
• You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
• Please note that all payments distributed by a Charitable Gift Annuity funded with assets from an IRA will be subject to ordinary income tax.

Stocks & Securities

Achieve significant tax advantages by making a gift of assets like common stock or mutual fund shares. By giving highly appreciated shares directly to Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, you avoid long-term capital gains taxes and receive a charitable deduction on your income tax. Contact our director with your questions or intentions by filling out this form.
Here is a printable Stock Transfer form to begin now.

Note: Transfers are often made without donor names attached. Let us know that your gift is coming!

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary welcomes gifts through donor-advised funds, family foundations, and other third-party giving options. Giving through your donor-advised fund is a beneficial way to make charitable donations. Thank you for considering Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary as a donor-advised fund grant designation!

Please use this form to notify us of your gift, as it will help staff correctly identify and acknowledge its receipt.

Charitable Remainder Trust

With a minimum gift of $10,000 and a simple Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) contract, Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary agrees to pay you a fixed amount annually for the remainder of your life. This is an especially attractive option if you seek to generate additional income from your donated asset. Not only do you remove the contributed asset from your estate, but you also benefit from an immediate charitable income tax deduction. Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, Saint John’s University , and Abbey follow the American Council on Gift Annuities recommended rates. We will be pleased to provide you with an example showing your expected yearly return and federal tax deduction. We will need to know the birth dates of anyone who may receive annuity payments.

Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
Similar to a charitable gift annuity, a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is usually created with amounts of $100,000 or more. This is an especially attractive option if you seek to generate additional income from your donated asset, and the income stream created may be for one or more lifetimes or for a fixed number of years. Not only do you remove the contributed asset from your estate, you also benefit from an immediate a charitable income tax deduction and all long-term capital gains tax liability is forgiven with this gift.

Similar to a charitable gift annuity, a Charitable Gift Trust (CGT) pays you income for life. This is an especially attractive option if you seek to generate additional income from your donated asset, and the income stream created may be for one or more lifetimes or for a fixed number of years. Not only do you remove the contributed asset from your estate, you  benefit from both an immediate charitable income tax deduction and long-term capital gains tax liability.

Please complete and submit a Letter of Intent to [email protected] or mail it to:
Grace Ellens
PO Box 5866
Collegeville, MN 56321

Time & Talent

Office assistance, event assistance, creative assistance, prayers, car and mini-bus drivers. and more are welcome! Share your availability and skills by contacting [email protected] today.

Wills & Trusts

Without a Last Will and Testament, the state will decide how your property is distributed – with no provision for charitable donations. The will you write, in addition to distributing property to heirs and declaring charitable designations, also specifies guardians for children and incapacitated adults and sets up trusts if needed. For these reasons, the Last Will and Testament is the most important document in your estate plan.

Revocable Trust Provision
With larger estates, each person can exempt only a fixed amount from estate taxes. Revocable trusts may be used to preserve the exemption of the first spouse to die, while giving the surviving spouse access to the trust’s earnings and possibly its assets. A percentage or fixed amount from your revocable trust may be left to charitable institutions while your spouse has use of the rest.

You are invited to leave your legacy at the School of Theology and Seminary by informing us in writing and including a copy of the page from your will stating the specific provision for Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. We encourage you to provide your attorney with the following language:

I give $______ to Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, an operating division of Saint John’s University, Federal ID #453656162, a Minnesota corporation located in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Matching Gifts

Many employers and private businesses sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions up to XX$’s or volunteer hours made by their employees. To find out if a business has a matching gift policy, please check with them.

If eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, or follow the business’ policy to complete and send your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made by account owners, retirees, and/or spouses.

Don’t have a matching gift policy? Ask employers and businesses to do so. They will enjoy tax benefits, and together you will be helping prepare church leaders. Note: Some businesses have a limited window for these opportunities (such as during the Christmas season) or specific requirements. Check the gift matching policy before you donate.

Examples of matching gift businesses and employers in the central Minnesota area:
St. Cloud Financial Credit Union – NextGiver
3M
Bank of America
Coca-Cola
The Home Depot
Starbucks
State Farm

Donate Reward Points

Check your loyalty accounts; many have the ability to make donations to your favorite charity. You may not get a tax deduction, but you will be wisely stewarding your resources when cash is tight or the rewards are about to expire. Note: not all rewards or points transfer at an equal value. Check your loyalty account policy.

Examples of loyalty accounts that have donated to charities:
Amazon.com
Delta Airline SkyMiles or Companion Tickets
Michael’s (ask to give your purchase rewards to Saint John’s University)
Discover Card
Citi Card
Hilton Honors
Choice Privileges
and more.

GoodSearch.com
Search online using GoodSearch.com, a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the nonprofits users designate. Shop online at GoodShop.com, an online shopping mall that donates up to 30 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause. Hundreds of stores, including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy’s, and Barnes & Noble, have teamed up with GoodShop. Or download the GoodSearch – Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary toolbar, so our school will earn money every time you shop and search online – even if you forget to visit GoodShop or GoodSearch first!
The school’s ID is 895736.