All of our work is made possible by the generous support of individuals and institutions committed to a fearless and independent press, an informed citizenry and an open, accountable government. The Washington Spectator is published by the Public Concern Foundation Inc. a 501(c)(3) foundation, donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent provided by law. If you have any questions, or would like other donation options, click here or contact us at (212) 822-0260. If contributing by mail, make your check payable to the Public Concern Foundation Inc. and send to The Public Concern Foundation, c/o Hamilton Fish, 116 East 16th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10003.

1. Cash Donations: Click here for more information on how to make a tax-deductible cash donation.

2. Credit Card Donations: Click here to donate by credit card, but watch out for finance charges on the amount you donate, which could offset the charitable tax deduction.

3. IRA Rollover: Click here to see the criteria for qualification.

4. Selling or Donating Securities: If you donate appreciated stock that you've held for more than one year, you could potentially incur three-fold tax savings. Click here for more information on how that works.

5. Insurance Policies: You can donate an insurance policy, i.e., list the Public Concern Foundation as your beneficiary. Click here for more information.

6. Matching Gifts: Many companies have matching-gift programs for charitable donations. Click here for more information.

7. Estate Planning: Charitable bequests remain a popular way for many donors to perpetuate their giving for future generations. Click here for more information.

8. Charitable Remainder Trusts: Click here to see how the remainder of the assets of a charitable trust can help support the Public Concern Foundation.

More Information

Cash Donations: Checks should be made out to the Public Concern Foundation, a 501(c)3 public foundation, and sent to the Public Concern Foundation, c/o Hamilton Fish, 116 East 16th St, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10003.

IRA Rollover: The criteria for qualification are:

1. Donor must be age 70;
2. There is a $100,000 annual cap on IRA rollover gifts;
3. Gifts must be made directly to a charitable organization; they cannot be planned or deferred gifts;
4. Traditional or Roth IRA assets can be used to make a gift. Please contact a financial advisor if you are considering this means of making a charitable gift.

Selling or Donating Securities: There are three ways you can save on your taxes by selling or donating securities:

1. You avoid paying capital gains tax on the increase in value of your stock.
2. You receive a tax deduction for the full fair-market value of the stock on the date of the gift.
3. Under certain circumstances the tax savings can be applied to reduce the value of the donors' taxable estate by the amount of the gift. The value of your gift and the date of the gift are both determined by the date of the transfer, which is the date the securities are received in a Public Concern Foundation account. To be sure the gift is made this calendar year, please allow adequate time for the transfer. You can also sell stock that has lost value and donate the proceeds. You can deduct the loss in value (cost basis less current value) and derive an income tax charitable deduction for the current market value.

Insurance Policies: If you donate an insurance policy, you can receive a charitable deduction for the cash value of the policy. Policies that still require premiums can also be used to make a gift, with future premiums deducted from your annual income tax.

Matching Gifts: Many organizations allow you to sign up for a matching donation; check your company's policy on charitable contributions.

Estate Planning: Join our Legacy Group and make a bequest specifying the Public Concern Foundation and stipulating either a dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or you can include a provision listing the Spectator as a residual beneficiary.

Charitable Remainder Trusts: You may find yourself in a position of holding assets that would make a meaningful gift in the future. However, you may currently require these assets to meet present and anticipated future needs. By placing appreciated property or cash into a charitable remainder trust (CRT), a unique gift arrangement can be made that would provide income for you and perhaps a specified beneficiary as well. Tax benefits include an initial income tax deduction and avoidance of capital gains tax for appreciated securities. At the end of the agreed period, usually the donor and/or their beneficiary's lifetime, the remainder of the trust's assets would be given to the Institute to help support future generations of independent journalists.

For the most up-to-date IRS information on charitable giving, please click here and here.

The Washington Spectator is published by the non-profit, non-partisan Public Concern Foundation Inc.

Editor:   Lou Dubose
Past editors:  Ben A. Franklin (1993–2005)
Past editors:  Tristram Coffin (1974–1993)
Associate Editor:  Lisa Vandepaer

Publisher:   Betty Russell:  bettyrussell (at) washingtonspectator.com

Board of Directors: President:  Hamilton Fish

Board of Directors:
Cynthia Brown, author, editor, civil-liberties and human-rights specialist
Leonard and Rhoda Dreyfus, longtime civil-liberties activists
Pamela Newkirk, professor of journalism, New York University
Betsy Reed, executive editor, The Nation
Jonathan Schell, author of Fate of the Earth, anti-nuclear activist
Ruth Shikes, co-founder, The Washington Spectator