Un boletín informativo para los socios del legado de las Misiones Franciscanas

Make a Year-End Gift and Keep Your Cash in Your Wallet

Fr. Hrmenegilde Birushe holding a newborn child in the Burundi dispensary

Fr. Hrmenegilde Birushe holding a new born child in the Burundi dispensary

Did you know you can help the Franciscan Missions without opening your check book or wallet? If you own stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that have grown in value, donating shares of appreciated securities will not only support our missionary efforts, but can also save you money on taxes.

Why is it a smart choice? Using an asset with a low out-of-pocket cost allows you to:

  • Make a substantially larger gift than you thought possible;
  • Keep your cash which can be used for other purposes;
  • Take advantage of a charitable tax deduction (if you itemize on your tax return);
  • Avoid paying capital gains tax.

When you sell investments that have gone up in value, you usually pay tax on the profit (called capital gain). But if you donate those investments to the Franciscan Missions, you don’t pay that tax—and you are still allowed a tax deduction for the stock’s present day value.

For Example: If you bought stock for $2,500 and it’s now worth $10,000, selling it would cost you over $1,000 in taxes. Donating it to the Franciscan Missions lets you avoid that tax and claim the full $10,000 as a deduction.

What if you want to keep your investment? Donate your appreciated stock and then use your cash to buy the same stock again. For tax purposes, this resets the stock’s cost basis to its value on the day you re-purchase it. By increasing the cost basis, you can save money when you sell it later.

Please keep in mind that you should transfer the stock directly to our brokerage account, making sure the stock has been held for more than a year and has gone up in value. 

Please call our office and we can guide you through the transfer process; it’s not at all complicated, and this type of gift can benefit both our mission and you.

By the way, there could be instances when you might want to make a gift using stock that has depreciated in value. We would be happy to discuss that option with you.

Quick Tip

Thinking Ahead: A Smart Option for Passing on Your Assets

Naming a beneficiary on financial accounts is often a simpler, safer alternative to joint ownership. With a beneficiary designation, assets pass directly to the person you choose without going through probate; you can still keep full control of those accounts during your life. In contrast, owning an asset jointly with another person can create complications—such as exposure to the co-owner’s debts, or unintended consequences if relationships change. Beneficiary designations are easy to update and can also help prevent legal disputes and delays. Beneficiary designations offer you a smart and flexible option for passing on certain financial assets.

You can use beneficiary designations to make a gift to the Franciscan Missions. Some of our friends have named us as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, a commercial annuity, an IRA, or a savings/checking account. Adding or changing a beneficiary of an asset is often as simple as completing a change of beneficiary form, which can sometimes even be done online.

Ukrainian friar celebrating mass with school children in the Church basement

A Word to the Wise: Are Your Beneficiary Designations Up to Date?

Franciscan missionary baptizes a child in the Amazons of Brazil

Franciscan missionary with children at a school in the DRC

Even if you have a current will or living trust, your final plans could be affected if the beneficiaries listed on your financial accounts, insurance, or retirement plans are out of date. Here’s what to keep in mind:

  • 401(k) Plans: By law, your spouse is the automatic beneficiary—no matter what your will says. If your spouse remarries, their new spouse could inherit those funds unless a consent form is signed.
  • IRAs: These don’t automatically go to your spouse. Whoever is listed as the beneficiary will receive the funds, even if your life circumstances have changed.
  • Life Insurance: Benefits are paid to the person you named, sidestepping the probate process.
  • Charitable Giving: You can name the Franciscan Missions as a full or partial beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance. This may lower estate taxes and reduce income taxes for your heirs.
  • Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): If you have a DAF, think about naming the Franciscan Missions as the final beneficiary—this is a simple way to make a lasting impact on the lives of people across the globe.

The Good You Make Possible

Ukraine: Hope within the Darkness

Through your kindness and unwavering support of the Franciscan Missions, our friars are bringing God’s love and mercy to people in need around the world. In war-torn Ukraine, for example, it is your heartfelt prayers, generous sacrifices, and deep compassion that are providing our friars with strength to stand beside those who are suffering — offering hope, comfort, and the healing presence of Christ.

Because of you:

  • In Shargorod, Fr. Paschalis Rabcevitsch, OFM is distributing aid to more than 275 refugee families. Along with several other friars, he delivers hygiene supplies and nutritious food parcels to the sick and elderly who are unable to leave their homes.
  • In Zhytomyr, Fr. Leonard Shevchuk, OFM, operates a meals on wheels program, and Fr. Bernard Petrov, OFM has launched an inspired initiative called “Recover for Life,” a trauma training program for volunteers who will accompany people devastated by war.
  • In Baranivka, Fr. Kyryll Topolevskij, OFM and the friars have converted their monastery into a temporary shelter for war refugees, including support for mothers and children from the east who have lost everything. For many, the Franciscans are the only source of comfort, prayer, and a warm meal.
  • In Odesa, Fr. Miroslav Karachina, OFM is providing food to more than 1,500 refugees and an additional 425 elderly locals struggling to survive amid the armed conflict.
  • In Vylok, Fr. Jonas Ban, OFM operates a soup kitchen that serves 180 hot meals a day to lonely seniors, people with disabilities, and refugees.
  • In Fanchykovo and Korolevo, Fr. Márió Weinrauch, OFM cares for 215 of the poorest families, ensuring they receive monthly food parcels packed with essential items such as vegetable oil, flour, and rice
Franciscan missionary baptizes a child in the Amazons of Brazil
Franciscan missionary baptizes a child in the Amazons of Brazil

Create a Legacy That Lives On

If you would like to discover additional ways to support the Franciscan Missions, please scan this code.

Did you know that your retirement assets can do more than support you in retirement—they can help shape the future? Our free booklet, “Using Retirement Assets to Create a Lasting Legacy,” shows you how to turn your IRA or other retirement savings into a powerful tool for supporting our Franciscan Mission efforts. Whether you’re updating your estate plan or exploring tax-smart ways to give, this guide offers clear, practical steps to make a lasting impact on our work.

3 formas de solicitar su folleto:

llamar: 262-534-5470

correo electrónico: planeadodar@franciscanmissions.org

escribir a:

las misiones franciscanas
Oficina de Planificación de Donaciones
CORREOS. Caja 130
Waterford, WI 53185

Solicite su folleto

Agradecidos en San Francisco

Br. Andrew Brophy, OFM

Director ejecutivo