Planned Giving

Many ways to give - your legacy to create

At the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, we welcome the opportunity to work with you and your advisors to evaluate your charitable giving strategy. Use the menu, featured below, to learn more about the many giving options available, each with certain tax benefits and income potential. Every situation is different, so it’s important to examine your charitable goals, lifetime income needs and family situation.

Together we can begin the process, determine what works best for you, choose the concepts that will help you realize your objectives and put this valuable plan in place.

A Note About Charitable Income Tax Deductions

Many charitable gifts qualify for an income tax deduction. These deductions are subject to limitations based on your adjusted gross income (AGI). For gifts to qualified public charities like ours, those limits are 60% of AGI for gifts of cash, 30% of AGI for gifts of long-term appreciated assets (such as stock or real estate), and 50% of AGI for other non-cash gifts. Excess gift amounts can typically be carried forward for up to five years.

Starting in 2026, there are two new limitations:

1. A new “giving floor.” Only gift amounts that exceed 0.5% of AGI qualify for a charitable income tax deduction. For example, if your AGI is $300,000, only gift amounts over $1,500 are eligible for a deduction.
2. A new cap on deductions for high earners. If you’re in the top 37% tax bracket, the tax benefit of your charitable deductions is limited to 35%.

In addition to these new limits, there is a new deduction for cash gifts. Even if you don’t itemize, you can deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for joint filers) for cash gifts to qualified charities (not including donor-advised funds), making even modest gifts more rewarding.