WAYS TO GIVE
Your generosity doesn’t have to come from your checking account. Explore ways to make a gift using your retirement account, investments, or donor-advised fund.
There are several ways to support Turtle Island beyond a traditional cash or credit-card donation. You may be able to support endangered turtles and tortoises through retirement assets, appreciated securities, or a donor-advised fund. These giving options can sometimes provide tax advantages while helping you make a meaningful gift to conservation.
Explore your options below:
Give From Your IRA with a Qualified Charitable Distribution
If you are 70½ or older and have an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), you may be able to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly to Turtle Island. Other types of retirement accounts may have similar benefits.
A QCD allows eligible donors to transfer funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity. The distribution can generally be excluded from taxable income when the applicable requirements are met, and a QCD can also count toward a required minimum distribution (RMD).
Why consider a QCD?
- Give directly from your IRA without writing a check or using a credit card.
- A qualifying QCD may be excluded from taxable income.
- QCDs can count toward your required minimum distribution.
- You can support endangered turtles while potentially reducing the taxable portion of your IRA distributions.
How it works
Ask your IRA administrator or financial advisor to make a distribution directly to Turtle Island. The funds should go directly from the IRA trustee to the charitable organization rather than being paid to you first.
Important: QCD rules are specific, and not every retirement account or distribution will qualify. Please consult your IRA administrator and tax advisor before making a QCD.
Want to make a QCD to Turtle Island?
Contact us at support@turtle-island.org for any information your financial institution needs.
📈 Give Appreciated Stocks and Securities
If you own stocks, mutual funds, or other investments that have increased in value, you may be able to donate them directly rather than selling them and donating the cash.
For eligible long-term appreciated securities, donating the asset directly to Turtle Island can potentially allow you to avoid capital-gains tax on the appreciation while also providing a charitable deduction, subject to applicable tax rules.
Why consider giving stock?
Instead of:
Sell stock → pay applicable taxes → donate what’s left
you may be able to:
Donate stock directly → Turtle Island receives the proceeds → you may receive tax benefits
This can be particularly useful if you have investments that have appreciated significantly or if you are looking to rebalance your portfolio.
How it works
Your financial advisor or brokerage can help you transfer eligible securities directly to Turtle Island. Since transferring securities can require specific instructions, please contact us before initiating your gift so we can provide the appropriate transfer information.
Interested in donating stock?
Contact us at support@turtle-island.org for stock-transfer instructions.
💚 Give Through a Donor-Advised Fund
A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account that allows you to contribute assets to a sponsoring organization and then recommend grants to charities such as Turtle Island.
DAFs can be funded with cash, stocks, and in some cases other assets. When you contribute to the DAF, you generally receive the charitable tax deduction at that time; you can then recommend grants to qualified charities over time.
If you already have a DAF through an organization such as Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or another sponsoring organization, you can recommend a grant to Turtle Island.
Why consider a DAF?
- Give to multiple charities from one charitable account.
- Donate appreciated securities and other eligible assets.
- Separate the timing of your charitable contribution from when you recommend grants.
- Keep charitable giving organized in one place.
How it works
- Contribute cash or eligible assets to your donor-advised fund.
- Receive the applicable charitable acknowledgment from the DAF sponsor.
- Recommend a grant to Turtle Island.
- Your DAF sponsor sends the grant to us.
Already have a DAF?
You can recommend a grant to:
Turtle Island
[Turtle Island Corporation]
EIN: 83-1706767
Contact us at support@turtle-island.org if you need additional information for your DAF provider.
Other Ways to Give
There are other ways to make a meaningful contribution beyond cash, including planned gifts, bequests, and other charitable giving strategies.
If you are considering a larger or more complex gift, we would be happy to work with you and your financial or legal advisors to help facilitate the donation.
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Give in the Way That Works for You
Whether you give $25, donate appreciated stock, recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund, or make a QCD from your IRA, your generosity helps Turtle Island rescue, research, and rewild endangered turtles and tortoises around the world.
Every gift helps provide the care, research, conservation work, and future these animals need.
Smart Giving is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax laws and individual circumstances vary. Please consult your tax advisor, financial advisor, or IRA administrator before making a charitable gift.
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