Wyden Your Horizons!

The Newsletter of VanderWyden Consultants, Inc.
Headquarters: 118 Westchester Drive, Amherst, Ohio 44001
Additional Offices in Los Angeles, CA and Atlanta, GA • Toll-free Phone: 888-245-5826

Providing Professional Counsel
for Churches & Non-profit Organizations

E-mail: Bill@WydenYourHorizons. com • Web: www. WydenYourHorizons. com
Capital Fund Campaigns, Operating Budget Campaigns, Planned Giving Campaigns

December 2005

INSIDE THIS ISSUE. . .

1. Wyden Your Horizons with Year-End Generosity Click
2. An Opportune Time to Raise Capital Funds! Click
3. Online Giving Increases Dramatically Click
4. Senate Endorses Bill to Increase Charitable Giving Click
5. About VanderWyden Consultants, Inc. Click
6. Subscribe / Unsubscribe Instructions Click

In this end of the year Edition of Wyden Your Horizons, we review the unique opportunity for generous giving that has been provided in 2005: a perhaps "once in a lifetime" opportunity to make a large gift and be able to take unparalleled tax advantages. We are happy to provide this free email newsletter as a way to share our insights about the blessings and joys of generous giving. This publication is provided as a resource for organizations, churches, and individuals, who are raising funds for good causes. Please feel free to forward this email to family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers who may be interested in subscribing themselves. We pray that you and all of your families and loved ones enjoy a most blessed Holiday and New Year!

Wyden Your Horizons with Year-End Generosity

Your Church or Non-Profit Organization could possibly raise more money in December than in the previous 11 months of the year, if you remind your members of this "one time only" opportunity.

For this year only, Congress has changed the rules on charitable gifts to help all charities in this time of great national need. During 2005 donors can deduct gifts up to the full amount of their annual income, if the gift is made as a cash donation. In addition, another opportunity provided in the legislation permits IRA withdrawals to make fully-deductible gifts to charity. Many of your donors may be able to take advantage of this special opportunity to make a much larger gift than usual and to take a full tax deduction.

There are also several opportunities for end of the year gifts that have been offered for many years :

Gifts of Appreciated Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Real Estate, etc. can provide a major tax savings. If the asset has been owned for more than year, a donor can deduct the full fair marketable value of the asset as a charitable donation, and at the same time avoid Capital Gains tax on the Appreciations.

Personal Property is fully deductible at fair market value, if the gift is used directly for the charity's tax exempt purpose.

Life Insurance, if donated by naming the charity as the sole owner and beneficiary, can provide income tax benefits.

A Charitable Remainder Trust offers substantial tax savings through a current income tax deduction and also avoids Capital Gains Taxes. It also provides annual income to you or your family. The trust is best funded with an asset-appreciated property or securities.

This month is a key time to remind your members that generous giving can be a "Win-Win Opportunity" to provide benefits to others and at the same time to take advantage of unique end of the year tax benefits.

As always with the above opportunities, you must consult with your professional tax advisor to be advised as to how these opportunities may apply for you or your organization. VanderWyden Consultants, Inc. does not profess to have expertise in tax advice. The above mentioned items suggest opportunities that may or may not be applicable. Top

An Opportune Time to Raise Capital Funds!

If you have deferred maintenance projects for years on your facilities, if your facility needs major renovations to meet the needs of your community, or if you need to add a new facility, next year could present a great opportunity! With stocks and mutual funds experiencing major increases in value in the past year, your members' assets have increased significantly in value for donation purposes. At the same time, interest rates are still relatively low, making it possible for you to borrow more than you might be able to at other times. All this means that you may be able to afford a much larger capital project than in years past. If you have postponed building projects, now is the time to take advantage of a great opportunity. Top

Online Giving Increases Dramatically

You Could Increase the Giving to Your Church or Organization if you offer the Opportunity for Online Giving

Online giving by internet users initially spurted in response to the 9/11 attacks, with 10% of internet users making online gifts in October 2001, according a survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. In January 2005, shortly after the Southeast Asian Tsunamis, occurred 13% of internet users made an online gift. Now during September and October of 2005, after the Gulf Coast Hurricanes, 18% of internet users, or 26 million people indicated they made a onetime gift through the internet. But the interesting fact is that only 50% of those givers gave to help those who were victims of the Hurricanes. The other 50% or 13 million people gave for other causes!

You could possibly significantly increase your number of donors, and/or increase the amount your present donors give, if you offer the opportunity to give online. This could be a relatively easy option to implement, by either putting the option of online giving on your Website, and/or contacting your members for whom you have email addresses and suggesting this possibility. Top

The U.S. Senate Endorses Bill to Increase Charitable Giving

In addition to the bill passed by Congress that impacts year-end giving for 2005, the Senate has recently endorsed a bill that would further increase charitable giving in 2006 if the bill is approved by the House and becomes law. The major provision of the bill would allow tax payers who do not itemize to be able to deduct a portion of their donations. Individuals could write off sums in excess of $210, and couples filing jointly could deduct the amount of gifts above $420.

The measure also would continue the ability for older people to withdraw funds from their individual retirement accounts and donate them to a charity, tax-free. If enacted, these measures could stimulate giving to churches and non-profits.

Before these opportunities can be enacted, the bill must be reviewed by the House of Representatives, and a conference committee of the two chambers would have to work out the final wording of exactly how these giving opportunities may be available. This would be a good time to contact your legislators to ask them to support this bill that could provide great opportunities for donors. Top

ABOUT VANDERWYDEN CONSULTANTS, INC. . .

VanderWyden Consultants provide professional fund-raising guidance to non-profit organizations and churches who need assistance with their fund-raising. We provide professional guidance for Capital Fund Campaigns, Stewardship Operating Budget Campaigns, Planned Giving Campaigns, Comprehensive Financial Feasibility Studies, and the dynamics of stimulating growth in membership.

Our staff has conducted over 350 successful campaigns throughout the United States. Our Joy of Generosity Capital Fund Campaign program enables churches to raise as much as 13 times existing giving levels, and our Wyden Your Horizons Operating Budget Stewardship program results in increases of 15-35%. Top

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You can also contact me directly by replying to Bill@WydenYourHorizons. com. I will be happy to respond promptly and accommodate your requests. Please forward this to family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers who may be interested in subscribing themselves.

Bill VanderWyden

Rev. P. William VanderWyden, C.F.R.E.
President VanderWyden Consultants, Inc.
Headquarters -118 Westchester Drive, Amherst, Ohio 44001
Toll-free Phone: 888-245-5826 (888-Bill-Van)
E-mail: Bill@WydenYourHorizons. com
Web: www. WydenYourHorizons. com

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