Planned gifts, including bequests and life income gifts, are designed to help you meet your financial and charitable goals while supporting Columbia in the long term.
For more information, contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-338-3294 or e-mail gift.planning@columbia.edu. Columbia, its employees, and representatives do not offer legal or financial advice. Prospective donors are urged to consult with an attorney, financial advisor, estate planner, or accountant before making arrangements.
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Include a Bequest in Your Will
Bequests to Columbia are deductible for estate tax purposes. They may be structured in many ways and directed to a purpose of your choice. For sample bequest language, contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-338-3294 or e-mail gift.planning@columbia.edu.
Name Columbia as a Beneficiary
Adding Columbia as a retirement account beneficiary is good tax planning. Columbia is exempt from income taxes, unlike individual heirs, so your philanthropic impact will go further when you leave an account to the University.
Consider an IRA Charitable Rollover
For those 70-and-a-half years or older, directing gifts to Columbia from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an easy, convenient way to make a gift from one of your major assets. The gift will be excluded from your gross income: a tax-free rollover will count towards your required minimum distribution (RMD).
Establish a Life Income Plan
In exchange for your gift, lifetime payments will be made to you, your spouse, or anyone you name, and the balance will pass to Columbia for the purpose you specify. Part of your gift will be tax deductible. For gifts of appreciated securities, there is favorable capital gains tax treatment.
Charitable Gift Annuities
Funded with $25,000 or more in cash or securities, charitable gift annuities provide fixed payments for life. A portion of these payments is usually tax-free for a number of years.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Funded with $100,000 or more in cash or securities, charitable remainder trusts provide a stream of payments for life (or a term of years) determined by investment performance (unitrust) or a fixed dollar amount (annuity trust). Unitrusts may be invested alongside Columbia’s endowment to benefit from diversification and access to asset classes not available to most individuals.
Establish a Donor-Advised Fund
A donor-advised fund allows you to make a tax-deductible gift to Columbia to establish a fund today—and later advise the University on how you would like the gift used. At least half of the gift must be designated to Columbia, and the rest may support other charities.
Pledge Proceeds from Your Future Business Success
If you are a Columbia alumni or friend who is a business founder, equity holder, or investor, make a non-binding pledge to contribute a percentage of your venture’s future proceeds to Columbia University. By making this pledge, you become a member of the Founders Society, a select network of entrepreneurs.
