A gift of stock
Since March of 2009 I have gotten six years older and ...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which many people use as a gauge of investment performance, has risen 181 percent from 6,440 to a recent peak just over 18,000.
The S&P 500 and other noteworthy indices also rose like amounts, or better. The point is that now is the time to support your favorite church, college or charity with a gift of stock.
You always can give cash, of course, but why sell the stock, pay the capital gains tax and give the charity the residue when you can get a better tax advantage and gift a bigger gift to your recipient by simply transferring the shares?
The wisdom of doing the stock gift now is underscored by the 55 percent decline from 14,280 of October 2007 that preceded the fine bull market described above.
There are bull markets and bear markets, and wise personal money managers will take advantage of the peaks like we are seeing now to give their favorite charities an extra sweet gift.
John Cornwell
Bella Vista
Editorial on 02/25/2015