
Gifting stock can be a great way to avoid capital gains taxes, but it's essential to do it correctly. You can gift up to $16,000 per recipient per year without incurring gift taxes.
To qualify for the annual exclusion, the gift must be a present interest, meaning the recipient must have access to the stock immediately. This is not the case with a future interest, where the recipient's rights are delayed.
The IRS allows you to gift stock to anyone, including family members, friends, and even charities. However, the recipient must be a U.S. citizen or resident to qualify for the annual exclusion.
Types of Securities to Gift
Gifting stock to avoid capital gains can be a smart move, especially if you've held onto a stock for more than a year. This allows you to deduct the full fair market value of the stock.
You'll want to consider gifting stocks with significant appreciation, as this will provide the strongest tax benefits. The more highly appreciated your security, the more capital gains tax you'll avoid.

To maximize your tax savings, consider gifting stocks that have been held for more than one year and have significant appreciation. This will allow you to deduct the full fair market value and avoid capital gains tax on all of your capital gain.
Here are some key characteristics of the "best" stock to donate:
- Held for more than one year
- Significant appreciation
- Helps reposition your investments and rebalance your portfolio
- Lowered or cut its dividend
Appreciated Bonds or Securities
Donating appreciated bonds or securities can be a savvy move, especially if you've held them for more than a year. This allows you to avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciated value.
You can donate various types of securities, including bonds and mutual funds, to a charity. This can provide a bigger impact than donating cash or selling your appreciated securities and contributing the after-tax proceeds.
If you donate bonds or mutual funds, you'll generally take a tax deduction for the full fair market value. This can instantly increase your contribution and tax deduction.

Donating securities you've held for more than one year can help you reposition your investments and rebalance your portfolio. This can be especially beneficial if the securities have significant appreciation, providing strong tax benefits.
If you sell your securities first and then give the proceeds, you'll have to pay capital gains tax on all of your capital gain. This is an unnecessary and potentially substantial cost to you.
Here are some key benefits of donating appreciated bonds or securities:
- Avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciated value
- Take a tax deduction for the full fair market value
- Reposition your investments and rebalance your portfolio
- Provide a bigger impact than donating cash or selling your appreciated securities
Donating appreciated bonds or securities can be a strategic way to give back to charity while also managing your investments. By holding onto securities for more than a year, you can avoid paying capital gains tax and increase your tax deduction.
Best Stock to Donate? It Depends
The best stock to donate is not always a straightforward answer. It depends on several factors, including how long you've held the stock, its appreciation value, and your overall investment goals and tax situation.

You'll want to consider donating stocks you've held for more than one year, which will allow you to deduct the full fair market value.
Significant appreciation can provide the strongest tax benefits, so it's a good idea to look for stocks that have increased in value over time.
Donating stocks that will help you reposition your investments and rebalance your portfolio can also be a good idea.
If a stock has lowered or cut its dividend, it might be a good candidate for donation as well.
Here are some key factors to consider when choosing the best stock to donate:
- Stocks held for more than one year
- Significant appreciation
- Repositioning your investments and rebalancing your portfolio
- Lowered or cut dividend
Benefits of Gifting Securities
Gifting securities can be a great way to support your favorite charity while minimizing your tax liability. You can save income tax and capital gains tax when you give shares of a publicly-traded security that you have owned for a year or more.
You can deduct from your taxable income the full fair market value of your shares as of the date of your donation, regardless of what you paid for them. This deduction is limited to 30% of your adjusted gross income.

Gifting stock held for more than one year allows you to avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation. You can also claim an income tax deduction for the stock's full market value.
Here are the key benefits of gifting securities:
- You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities.
- You avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation of the securities.
- You may fund a charitable gift annuity or a unitrust that diversifies your portfolio and allows you to receive lifetime payments.
If you have held your securities for more than one year, you can deduct from your taxable income the full fair market value of your shares as of the date of your donation.
Avoiding Capital Gains
Donating stock to charity is a smart way to avoid paying capital gains tax, which can be a significant expense. You can donate stock held for more than one year and avoid reporting any capital gain in the securities.
By donating stock, you can also claim an income tax deduction for the stock's full market value, which can be a substantial savings. State and local income tax deductions may also be available in some areas.

If you were to sell the securities yourself, you would owe capital gains tax on the difference between the sale price and the amount you paid for them. This can be a costly mistake, especially if you've held the stock for a long time.
Here are the key steps to remember:
1. Focus on pre-tax gifts vs. after-tax donations
2. Donate stock to harvest gains while avoiding capital gains tax
3. Select long-term holdings to qualify for tax-advantaged treatment of your charitable stock gift
By following these steps, you can make a bigger impact with your charitable gift while minimizing your tax liability.
Gift Options
Gift Options can be a great way to share your wealth with loved ones while minimizing capital gains taxes.
You can gift stock directly to a beneficiary, allowing them to sell it immediately and triggering capital gains taxes on the appreciation.
Consider gifting stock that has been held for more than a year, as this can help reduce capital gains taxes.

Alternatively, you can gift stock through a donor-advised fund, which can provide tax benefits and flexibility in how the funds are distributed.
A grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) can also be used to gift stock, allowing you to retain an annuity interest in the assets while transferring the remainder to beneficiaries.
It's essential to consult with a tax professional to determine the best gift option for your specific situation.
Ease of Gifting
Gifting stock to avoid capital gains is easier than you think. Whether you plan to give one share or one thousand shares, it is easy to give your publicly-traded securities to us.
You can make a gift of publicly-traded securities with minimal hassle. It's a process that can be completed in a relatively short amount of time.
In the past, charitable stock gifting was a time-consuming and painstaking process. It took hours of researching the process, contacting the charity, contacting your broker, filling out forms, delivering instructions and following up to make sure the gift went through.
Fortunately, technology has made it easier to gift stock. Years later, someone realized that the process should be simpler and created a company that specializes in making stock gifting easy.
How You Benefit

Gifting stock to avoid capital gains can be a smart move for your finances. You receive credit and an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock, which is based on the average high and low prices on the day of the transfer.
You can use this deduction to offset your taxable income, making a big difference in your tax bill. Your deduction is limited to 30% of your adjusted gross income, so you may need to carry forward any unused portion for up to five additional years.
By gifting your stock, you also avoid capital gains tax, which can be a significant savings. This is a big perk, especially if you've held onto your stock for more than a year.
Here are some benefits of gifting stock to avoid capital gains:
- You receive an immediate income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock.
- You avoid capital gains tax.
- You may fund a charitable gift annuity or a unitrust that diversifies your portfolio and allows you to receive lifetime payments.
Rationale and Case for Gifting
Nonprofits have greater needs than ever, and they're asking donors to make larger pre-tax gifts, such as stock and crypto, which are liquid and tend to be larger than after-tax gifts via cash, checks, and credit cards.

The benefits of donating appreciated assets are becoming more widely known, and they're unparalleled. Donors can avoid capital gains tax while deducting the market value of the gift, resulting in a double-dose of savings.
Savvy nonprofits understand that pre-tax donations of appreciated assets help them keep the proceeds that would otherwise have gone to pay the tax on the capital gain. This is why they're increasingly asking donors to make larger pre-tax gifts.
Make Bigger Impact
Gifting appreciated stock can have a significant impact on the impact of your donation. You can make a gift that's up to 20% larger because you avoid the taxes you would incur from selling and donating the cash.
By donating appreciated stock directly to charity, you can bypass the capital gains tax on the appreciation. This means more money goes to the work that matters most to you.
A gift of appreciated stock supports the cause you care about, qualifies for a deduction for the full value of the stock, and can provide you with an income stream.
Rationale for Charity Donations

Donating to charity can be a win-win situation for both you and the organization you're supporting. By donating appreciated stock, you can avoid capital gains tax while earning a bigger tax deduction, allowing you to donate more and save money.
You can donate stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, or closely held stock, and even use them to fund a gift that provides you with an income stream. Publicly traded stocks are the most commonly donated appreciated securities.
According to a comparison of cash and stock gifts, donating stock can save you up to $5,500 in taxes, depending on your income tax bracket and the value of the stock. This is because you can avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation, as well as deduct the market value of the gift.
It's also worth noting that if you sell securities that have lost value, you can net that capital loss against capital gains, and even carry it forward for up to five years.

The benefits of donating appreciated assets, such as stocks, are becoming more widely known. By donating these assets, you can avoid the capital gains tax while deducting the market value of the gift, resulting in a double-dose of savings.
Here are some key statistics about stock donations:
Donating stock allows you to donate more and save money, making it a more lucrative form of charitable giving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does gifting of shares attract capital gains tax?
Gifting shares may not attract capital gains tax, but tax implications depend on the recipient's relationship to the giver. Exemptions apply under Section 47, but Section 56 may also be relevant.
Sources
- https://www.cdcfoundation.org/give/stock
- https://iufoundation.iu.edu/ways-give/planned-giving/donating-specific-assets/appreciated-securities.html
- https://plannedgiving.brandeis.edu/what-you-can-give/stocks-bonds
- https://www.nature.org/en-us/membership-and-giving/donate-to-our-mission/gift-and-estate-planning/all-planned-giving-options/appreciated-securities/
- https://donatestock.com/blog/how-to-avoid-capital-gains-tax-on-stocks
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