American Council on Gift Annuities

The ACGA is excited to announce the addition of Julie Hallowell, the Director of Gift Planning and Endowment at GBH, Boston’s public media (PBS/NPR) station, to its Board of Directors.

The ACGA Board of Directors is comprised of professionals active in the field of planned giving with some of America's most well-respected charities. These individuals give unselfishly of their time and energy to assist others in their gift annuity programs.

Julie Hallowell, J.D. is the Director of Gift Planning and Endowment at GBH, Boston’s public media (PBS/NPR) station. She is nearing 25 years in planned giving, including NYU Langone, American Museum of Natural History, and United Way. Julie received her J.D. from Pace University School of Law (now Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University) and is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut. She also holds the certificate Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning from the Charitable Estate Planning Institute.

LAST CHANCE TO JOIN OUR FREE MEMBER WEBINAR TOMORROW!

Worthy of the Gift – Preparing Your Nonprofit for the Next Level of Donor Engagement and Transformational Giving

September 12, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. ET

Participants will:
• Be introduced to the concept of organizational and personal worthiness
• Depart with an understanding of how organizational and personal worthiness are linked to the receipt of transformational gifts
• Receive an outline of key elements of organizational worthiness and understand how organizational worthiness is intrinsically linked to personal worthiness.

Register NOW: https://acga.memberclicks.net/webinar091224 #!/

: We are grateful to have the American Cancer Society as an ACGA member!

The mission of the American Cancer Society is to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Check them out at: www.cancer.org!

NEW Member Benefit- Webinars are now FREE for members! Just log into your account and click to register.

Topic: Worthy of the Gift – Preparing Your Nonprofit for the Next Level of Donor Engagement and Transformational Giving

When: September 12, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. ET

Speaker: Bryan Taylor, CFA
CEO and CIO, Cornerstone Management

Space is limited so register NOW: https://acga.memberclicks.net/webinar091224 #!/

Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) for September 2024 - 4.8%

When calculating the tax deduction for a charitable gift, the IRS permits the use of the AFR for the current month or one of the two prior months. For charitable gift annuities, the highest AFR will produce the largest charitable tax deduction while the lowest AFR will produce the highest tax-free payout. Those who do not itemize their deductions often choose to maximize the tax-free income.

FREE MEMBER WEBINAR - SIGN UP NOW!

Worthy of the Gift – Preparing Your Nonprofit for the Next Level of Donor Engagement and Transformational Giving

September 12, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. ET

Participants will:
• Be introduced to the concept of organizational and personal worthiness
• Depart with an understanding of how organizational and personal worthiness are linked to the receipt of transformational gifts
• Receive an outline of key elements of organizational worthiness and understand how organizational worthiness is intrinsically linked to personal worthiness.

Join us as we outline key elements of organizational worthiness we believe are essential for faith-based organizations as they pursue the next level of transformational gifts.

Space is limited so register NOW: https://acga.memberclicks.net/webinar091224 #!/

FREE MEMBER WEBINAR - SIGN UP NOW!

Worthy of the Gift – Preparing Your Nonprofit for the Next Level of Donor Engagement and Transformational Giving

September 12, 2024 - 12:00 p.m. ET

Is your organization worthy of the gift? As leaders of nonprofits, we would often answer this question with a resounding, “YES”, but perhaps there is more to this question than meets the eye. No doubt your organization has a compelling vision, but we believe that there is more to organizational and personal worthiness than vision. Regardless of the size and scope of your organization, moving to the next level of transformational giving requires an assessment related to the comprehensive worthiness of your organization to receive that contribution.

Join us as we outline key elements of organizational worthiness we believe are essential for faith-based organizations as they pursue the next level of transformational gifts.

Space is limited so register NOW: https://acga.memberclicks.net/webinar091224 #!/

: We are grateful to have WETA as an ACGA member!

Founded in 1961, WETA is the leading public broadcasting station in the nation’s capital, serving Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia with educational, cultural, news and public affairs programs and services.

WETA's mission is to produce and distribute content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit using a broad range of media to reach audiences both in our community and nationwide. Check them out at: www.weta.org!

The gift annuity surveys conducted by the ACGA are the best source of information about charitable gift annuity policies, practices, and trends. The surveys include questions related to gifts, annuitants, administration, and investments. The surveys report data on over 20 years of continuities as well as changes.

Access historical reports at https://www.acga-web.org/research

: We are grateful to have the Anti-Defamation League Foundation as an ACGA member!

The Foundation's mission is to support the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) as it works to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Check them out at: www.adl.org!

ADL

ACGA Economic and Market Update:

Recent volatility in equity markets has sparked calls by some commentators for “emergency” Fed action. With all eyes on the Fed, some donors and CGA issuers may wonder about the possibility of near-term rate changes and their impact on ACGA’s Suggested Maximum Rate Schedules.

Read the full article by ACGA Board Members Chris Long and Bryan Taylor at https://www.acga-web.org/acga-economic-and-market-update

: We are grateful to have the Wycliffe Bible Translation Foundation, Inc. as an ACGA member!

The mission of the Wycliffe Foundation is to provide professional, donor-centered gift-planning services, helping people use their God-given assets to impact his Kingdom through Bible translation. Check them out at: https://www.wycliffefoundation.org!

FACT: The suggested maximum gift annuity rates developed and monitored by the American Council on Gift Annuities are the industry standard and are followed by 97% of charitable organizations nationwide.

Learn more at https://www.acga-web.org/current-gift-annuity-rates

: We are grateful to have the African Wildlife Foundation as an ACGA member!

The African Wildlife Foundation's mission is to ensure that wildlife and wild lands thrive in modern Africa. Check them out at: www.awf.org!

Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) for August 2024 - 5.2%

When calculating the tax deduction for a charitable gift, the IRS permits the use of the AFR for the current month or one of the two prior months. For charitable gift annuities, the highest AFR will produce the largest charitable tax deduction while the lowest AFR will produce the highest tax-free payout. Those who do not itemize their deductions often choose to maximize the tax-free income.

: We are grateful to have the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science as an ACGA member!

The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science is a community of dedicated people who support the Weizmann Institute’s crucial mission: science for the benefit of humanity. Check them out at: www.weizmann-usa.org

The ACGA monitors and responds to state gift annuity regulatory issues that arise from time to time. ACGA membership underscores our members commitment to ethics, accountability and appropriate consumer protection for donors, adding credibility to donor relationships and organization gift annuity programs.

Check out our member-exclusive interactive map for state specific regulatory details: https://www.acga-web.org/recent-state-updates

: We are grateful to have the YMCA of San Diego County as an ACGA member!

Their mission: We nurture a healthy spirit, mind, and body so all can thrive while honoring our faith-based heritage. Check them out at: ymcasd.org

Under the Legacy IRA provisions, an IRA owner (donor) may fund a one life charitable gift annuity (CGA) with a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) for the benefit of their spouse. The donation benefits charity, can satisfy their required minimum distribution (RMD), and provides the security of a fixed lifetime income for their spouse.

What to know more? Review the Charitable Gift Annuity Funded for Spouse with a QCD Case Study by Jeff Mueller, American Heart Association.

https://acga.memberclicks.net/case-study--charitable-gift-annuity-funded-for-spouse-with-a-qcd

If your organization offers gift annuities, the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) is essential. We are the leading resource on charitable gift annuity information, from how to start a program, how to best market these vehicles, and how to navigate the maze of changing state regulations.

Membership Benefits:
- Electronic Rates Brochures
- Electronic ACGA Survey Reports
- Electronic Rates Report
- State Regulations Information
- PLUS MANY MORE!

Join Now!

Join the American Council on Gift Annuities. Your Support is Essential! The American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) relies on the support of charities like yours to provide YOU essential help in building transparent, trustworthy gift annuity programs. Our many years of experience and expertise build a framework of best practices that our member organizations follow, a...

: We are grateful to have Abilene Christian University as an ACGA member!

The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Check them out at: https://acugiftplanning.org/

To keep charitable gift annuity programs running as smoothly as possible, a regular audit of program forms and documents should be completed. This audit ought to occur at least annually, and immediately after updates in legislation governing charitable gift annuities, as recently seen with the Legacy IRA Act. Not to be confused with annual state filings, this regular audit should be a specific review and update, if needed, of the program’s disclosure statements, application, and direct deposit form.

What should you review and why? Read - Don’t ‘Set It and Forget It’: Annual Charitable Gift Annuity Program Document Maintenance by Pamela Leonard, American Heart Association.

https://acga.memberclicks.net/don-t--set-it-and-forget-it---annual-charitable-gift-annuity-program-document-maintenance

A NEW BENEFIT FOR ACGA MEMBERS:

The ACGA is pleased to offer members the Certified Gift Annuity Issuer seal to use in their own publications and materials. Please note, that the organization must agree to follow the ACGA Standards of Conduct in order to display this seal.

This new member benefit is now available. Follow this link to submit your form and access the file download - you must be an active ACGA member to complete this form and use the seal. Questions? Email: [email protected]

https://acga.memberclicks.net/certified-gift-annuity-issuer-form-2024 #!/

The ACGA is excited to announce the addition of Andrew M. Fussner, Esq. to its Board of Directors.

The ACGA Board of Directors is comprised of professionals active in the field of planned giving with some of America's most well-respected charities. These individuals give unselfishly of their time and energy to assist others in their gift annuity programs.

Andrew currently serves as the National Vice President of Estate Settlement for the American Heart Association and oversees the administration of over $100 million in bequest assets annually for the organization. He is based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Before assuming his current position, he served in a variety of planned giving roles for the Association. Prior to joining the Association, Mr. Fussner was an attorney with the Tampa office of a national law firm. He specialized in estate planning, probate/trust administration, and tax law. He has a J.D., a B.S. in Accounting, and a B.A. in Political Science, all from the University of Florida.

Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) for July 2024 - 5.4%

When calculating the tax deduction for a charitable gift, the IRS permits the use of the AFR for the current month or one of the two prior months. For charitable gift annuities, the highest AFR will produce the largest charitable tax deduction while the lowest AFR will produce the highest tax-free payout. Those who do not itemize their deductions often choose to maximize the tax-free income.

If your organization offers gift annuities, the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) is essential. We are the leading resource on charitable gift annuity information, from how to start a program, how to best market these vehicles, and how to navigate the maze of changing state regulations.

Membership Benefits:
- Electronic Rates Brochures
- Electronic ACGA Survey Reports
- Electronic Rates Report
- State Regulations Information
- PLUS MANY MORE!

Join Now! https://www.acga-web.org/join

Now is the time to renew your ACGA membership! Support the vital work of the ACGA in advancing charitable gift annuities by setting suggested maximum rates, advocacy work, and monitoring of state regulations! The ACGA is the trusted expert for gift annuity rates since 1927!

Just log in to your account and click "Renew" or follow the link in your automated reminder emails.

CGAs and CFOs – Accounting for CGAs

Accounting isn’t about math. If you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide, then you can handle 90% of the math in accounting. It’s accurate to say that accounting is more akin to a foreign language. Speak the language of the accountant and you’ll be able to communicate ten times better with him or her. This article, by Andrew Fussner, is designed to help you understand how your charity’s CFO looks at charitable gift annuities.

https://acga.memberclicks.net/cgas-and-cfos-accounting-for-cgas

Watch Your Email and Renew Today!

Is your renewal coming up soon? We invite you to renew your ACGA membership now so that you will continue to be among the first to learn of changes to the rates schedules, regulatory updates, and insight on research and trends related to charitable gift annuities. Just log in to your account and click "Renew" or follow the link in your automated reminder emails.

Your membership support is vital to advancing the ACGA’s mission of fostering the success of charitable gift annuity programs at charities nationwide and enabling our volunteer board of directors to continue the essential work we have been doing since 1927.

The ACGA is pleased to offer members the Certified Gift Annuity Issuer seal to use in their own publications and materials.

Please note, that the organization must follow the ACGA standards of conduct to display this seal. This new member benefit will be available starting July 1, 2024.

https://acga.memberclicks.net/certified-gift-annuity-issuer