Ways to Give

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"The great use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it."

- James Truslow Adams

There are many ways you can make a gift to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. These include immediate gifts, such as cash and securities, and planned gifts, such as wills and trusts. Your donation will not only benefit the Academy, but also can reduce your tax burden significantly.

The information on this page is general in nature and may be subject to change. Due to the complexity of applicable laws and regulations, you are encouraged to consult an experienced attorney, certified public accountant or financial planner.

For a free brochure on any of the above planned gift options, contact Rachel Golla, development director, at (800) 234-9097 or rgolla@sjnma.org.

Immediate Gifts | Planned Gifts 

Immediate Gifts

Cash

The most common way to make a donation and the one most helpful is the simple outright gift of cash. You can deduct cash gifts up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income. On a $10,000 cash gift in a 28-percent tax bracket, you save $2,800 in taxes.

Securities

Appreciated stock (held more than one year) makes an excellent gift. You avoid all capital gain taxes, will receive a tax deduction, and can deduct it up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income. If you own stock that has gone down in value, sell the stock and contribute the proceeds. You’ll receive a gift deduction plus a capital loss deduction.

Visit Make a Gift for more information on how to make a cash or securities donation today.

Planned Gifts

In addition to an immediate gift, you might consider one of the following gift options that will help sustain the long-term health of the Academy.

Bequest through Will

One of the simplest ways to support the Academy’s future is through your estate. After others have been provided for, you can make a gift bequest of a dollar amount, specific property, percentage of the estate, or what is left (remainder) to the Academy. You may designate the proceeds of your will for “general purposes” or for a specific purpose such as the endowment. If you plan to include St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in your will, please contact us so we can help you direct your gift according to your wishes.

Life Insurance

An easy way to make a significant future gift is to name St. John's Northwestern Military Academy as a beneficiary to receive all or a portion of the proceeds of an existing life insurance policy. You will receive a tax deduction for the cash surrender value, thus reducing your tax liability in the year of the gift.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (Annuity and Unitrusts)

Plan a gift that makes a difference in your life and the lives of cadets. A charitable remainder trust is a trust in which you irrevocably place cash, securities or other property, but keep a specified income—usually for life. When the trust ends, the property in the trust passes to the Academy—much as if you had left it in your will. Donors can select the rate of return from these income arrangements and also choose a fixed or fluctuating annual payment. Both the annuity trust and unitrust generate significant tax advantages for the donor.

Charitable Lead Trust

A Charitable Lead Trust is a remarkable way to make a gift to both the Academy and to your heirs, and eliminate or significantly reduce all inheritance tax! Your assets are put into a trust where the charity is paid income for a specified period of time. At the end of the trust time, the remaining assets and any growth are passed on to your heirs. 

For example, if you set up a $1 million Charitable Lead Trust, the Academy would receive approximately $65,000 per year in income for the period of the trust. At the end of the period of the trust, the remaining principal can be given to your heirs with significantly reduced or no transfer tax. This can save up to 45 percent in estate taxes.

Other Planned Gift Options

Other planned gift options include:

• Revocable Living Trust
• Retirement assets
• Collectibles and other personal property
• Real estate
• Charitable gift annuities

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