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Heroes Campaign 2008 Donors! 
Ways to Donate to American Red Cross
Fond du Lac County Chapter
Donors have many options for contributing to the Fond du Lac American Red Cross. Our chapter can help you reduce taxes by tailoring each gift to your financial situation.
| Outright Gifts | Cash |
| Red Cross Hero | Planned Gifts |
Outright Gifts:
Donors who establish personal philanthropic funds in the Fond du Lac County American Red Cross during their lifetimes receive one priceless benefit: the joy of watching their philanthropic dollars at work. An outright gift accomplishes two important tax objectives: a charitable income tax deduction in the year of the gift and the reduction of gross estate for future estate tax purposes.
Cash Gift:
These are simplest and may be fully deducted for federal income tax purposes up to 50% of your adjusted gross income.
Red Cross Hero Donation (businesses & organizations):
Corporate and organizational donations are extremely important to the Fond du Lac Red Cross. A hero donation is considered a contribution of $250.00 or more. Depending on the donation amount the chapter shows their appreciation in several ways listed below.
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Sidekick Hero Hero- Super Hero- Sponsor |
| Individuals, clubs, organizations, and businesses can also be Heroes by organizing a Red Cross Hero Event. Sell Red Cross squares, have a casual for a cause day, organize a pay for potluck lunch, set up a boot drive, the possibilities are endless and they go to a great cause. | |
Planned Gifts:
Real Gifts: Estate and Stock
Gifts of stock are tax-deductible and can help you avoid the capital gains tax you would pay if you sold them yourself. The actual impact of such a gift on your personal taxes should be reviewed with your tax advisor. The Red Cross welcomes gifts of real estate that are readily marketable, free of environmental or other problems.
Bequests:
Consider supporting the community and your favorite charities by naming them in your will. A bequest of just 1-10% of your estate can simplify your estate for your heirs and significantly reduce the federal estate tax and inheritance tax due at the donor's death. Your bequest can create a named fund at the Red Cross that will forever support the community of charities you choose. Alternatively, you can make the Red Cross a contingent beneficiary in the event other beneficiaries die before you.
Life Insurance:
Take out an insurance policy on yourself, vesting all ownership rights in the policy in the Red Cross and irrevocably naming the Red Cross as the beneficiary. Each year, pay the tax-deductible annual premium. On your death, the proceeds of the policy pass to the Red Cross, free of estate taxes.
Charitable Remainder Trusts:
Create a separate trust and receive payments for yourself and/or another beneficiary for a set number of years or for life. On the death of the name beneficiary, or the end of the proscribed number of years, the charitable remainder trust terminates and the principal passes into a permanent charitable fund at the Red Cross. That fund can bear your name. It is also a possible for another charity or charities to share in this final disposition.
Charitable Lead Trusts:
This method of Giving reverse the concept of the more frequently used charitable remainder trust. Assets are transferred into a trust for a designated number of years. Annual payments are made to a charity or charities of your choice for those years, and then upon death, the assets are paid to named beneficiaries.
Life Estates:
Donate your home, farm or vacation property to the Red Cross and your and your spouse can continue to live there for life. You'll obtain a generous current income tax deduction and simplify your estate for your heirs. On termination of your interest(s), the Red Cross will sell the property and establish a permanent charitable fund with the proceeds. That fund can bear your name and support the community or charities you care about most.
Charitable Gifts Annuities:
A charitable gift annuity is the gift that gives back. It offers you a steady payment for life while, at the same time, is a valuable asset to your community. A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and the Red Cross. You make a gift to the Red Cross that promises to pay you and/or a beneficiary you designate a fix annuity for life. Upon death, the remainder of your gift will be invested and an annual distribution will be given to the charity/charities you choose. The fund can bear your name and may be able to forever support the cause you care about most. Annuity payments are based on age and interest rates at the time of the gift. In addition, you may receive an initial tax deduction and a portion of the annuity payments maybe tax free.