Helping You Give

The Whitefish Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations are tax
deductible under state and federal tax laws. Donations may be done over the phone by calling 406-
863-1781; mailed to P.O. Box 1060, Whitefish, MT 59937 or online on our secure network.

Gifts can be designated to one of several funds that best serve your interests:

Greatest Needs Fund

Community Grants Fund

Major Community Projects Fund

Permanent Endowment Fund

Or, open a Giving Fund where the Community Foundation will help you manage your giving and
ensure that your gift makes the most impact in your community. Visit the Giving Fund page for more
information.

Montana Qualified Charitable Endowment Credit:
Montana offers a Qualified Charitable Endowment Credit which will allow qualified donors a chance
to reduce their Montana income taxes by making a contribution to a Montana charitable endowment.
Senate Bill 15, passed by the legislature during the 2002 Special Legislative Session, made several
changes to the way that the credit is calculated. This Montana Department of Revenue web site has
more information: http://www.endowmontana.org/faqs.html

By Will or Living Trust
You have taken care of your loved ones and would like to leave something behind for your
community. A charitable bequest is one of the easiest ways to make a gift that will make a lasting
difference in the lives of others. The savings in estate taxes resulting from your gift to the community
foundation can be dramatic. Bequests can take a variety of forms. You can leave the community
foundation a specific sum of money, a percentage of your estate or a specific piece of property. For
specific language to incorporate a bequest to the Whitefish Community Foundation into your Will or
Living Trust, Please contact us to request a copy of our "Language for Bequests from Wills or Living
Trusts".

By Cash or Check
This is often the most simple and easy way to make a charitable contribution. Cash gifts are 100
percent tax deductible. This gift, like others, may also reduce your taxable estate.

Publicly Traded Securities:
A contribution of appreciated securities can produce significant tax savings to you. You receive a
double benefit: an immediate charitable deduction for the fair market value of the securities you contribute, and you are not subject to any capital gains tax on the appreciation. Using securities to
open a donor-advised fund provides the added benefit of one transaction yet the gift can be applied
to several nonprofits through your grant recommendations.

Gifts of Real Estate:
Gifts of real estate can include a house, apartment building, farm, vacation home, commercial
building, and land. You can make an outright gift of real property now or leave it as a bequest to the
Community Foundation.

Life Estate:
You can benefit today from a future gift of your principal residence or vacation home. You and your
spouse can continue to live in your residence for life while obtaining a current income tax deduction.
A qualified appraisal and title report are required.

Life Insurance Policies:
Many people find that the protection offered by their policies is no longer needed later in life. A life
insurance policy can be an ideal tool for charitable giving. This gift may also give you both a current
and future income tax deduction.

Charitable Remainder Trust:
With a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT), you can support your community while gaining an
immediate income tax deduction, reducing estate taxes, potentially eliminating capital gains taxes,
increasing income from your assets, and providing for yourself, your spouse, and your heirs. This
very flexible planned giving strategy is best suited for gifts of over $100,000. A CRT is created when
a donor makes a gift of an asset to the Foundation in an irrevocable trust in which income from the
trust is distributed to the donor/beneficiary during his or her lifetime or a fixed term not exceeding 20
years. When the beneficiary dies, the assets of the trust belong to the Foundation. The IRS states
that the CRT must distribute at least five per cent of the net fair market value of its assets annually.

Charitable IRA:
Income taxes and estate taxes could take up to 80 percent of your IRA or qualified retirement plan. A
good solution: create a Charitable IRA by naming the Whitefish Community Foundation as the
beneficiary of your IRA or qualified retirement plan. You'll completely avoid the double tax bite of
estate and income taxes and create a permanent charitable legacy.

For more information, answers to your questions, or a free consultation, please contact the
Whitefish Community Foundation through our contact us page or at 406-863-1781. We will be
pleased to work with you, your family and tax advisor to carry out your philanthropic goals.