When you donate appreciated stock (stocks that have increased in value since you purchased them), you avoid paying capital gains taxes that would normally be due if you sold the stock. Typically, if you sell appreciated stock, the gain is taxed at either short-term or long-term capital gains rates, depending on how long you've held the asset.

By donating the stock directly to SJA, you can sidestep these taxes and pass on the full value of the stock to the us!

You can claim a charitable deduction on your income tax return for the fair market value of the stock at the time of the donation (as long as you’ve held the stock for more than one year). This can help reduce your taxable income.

For example, Since SJA is a 503C charitable organization, if you donated $10,000 worth of stock, and you had purchased it for $5,000, you could deduct the $10,000 value from your taxable income.

The tax benefits are more favorable for stocks you’ve held for more than one year. These are considered long-term capital assets, and donating them directly to SJA allows you to deduct the full market value (as opposed to the lower cost basis, which would be the case if you sold the stock and then donated the cash).