Collector Benefits U.Va.: Albert H. Small Albert H. Small (Engr '46), a real-estate developer in Washington, D.C., recently gave 10 items related to the Declaration of Independence to the University, including the only known letter written by a signer on the day of the signing and what amounts to an autograph book containing the signatures of many founding fathers. The gift is the second from Mr. Small's personal Declaration of Independence collection, the most comprehensive in the world.

Your gift may be made in the form of cash, certificates of deposit, stocks and bonds, mutual funds, real estate, or personal property such as art, fine furnishings, and rare books and manuscripts. Different assets offer different tax advantages. Please consult your financial advisor to select the best way to give.


Cash
To make a gift of cash to the University, you may send a personal check or you can use such major credit cards as American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. Personal checks should be made payable to the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia (the University's corporate name) and mailed to the address below. Donors also may give through a University-related foundation.

University of Virginia
PO Box 400807
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4807

For more information on giving by check or credit card, please call (800) 688-9882 or (434) 924-7306.

Appreciated Securities
If your investments in the financial markets have been successful, you can use these assets without losing a substantial portion of your earnings to the capital gains tax by making your gift with appreciated stock. Also, a gift of stock held more than one year may qualify for a charitable income tax deduction equal to the securities' full fair-market value. It is also possible to make a gift with appreciated securities in a mutual fund. See How to Give Stocks or Mutual Funds.

Personal Property
Gifts of personal property — works of art, manuscripts, rare books, and antique furnishings — help support teaching and scholarship and can greatly enhance the quality of life on the Grounds. Such gifts must be appraised by an outside expert, unless an item has an apparent value of less than $5,000.

Reasons to Contribute a Gift in kind include
1. You may receive a charitable deduction for the appraised value at the time of the gift.
2. You can make a larger donation to U.Va. than if you sold the gift, paid capital gains tax on the sale, and contributed cash.
3. The gift's value is removed from your estate, which lowers your estate taxes.

Real Estate
Real estate can be contributed as an outright gift or to finance a planned gift, such as a charitable trust. Available options include a retained life estate, which allows the donor to continue to use the property for a certain number of years or for the donor's lifetime. Other arrangements offer special tax advantages and lifetime income.

Gifts of real estate, such as undeveloped land, a residence, a vacation home, a farm, or commercial property, should be arranged through the Office of Planned Giving and made through the University Real Estate Foundation. The University requires the donor to bear certain costs when making a real estate gift, such as an appraisal to determine the fair market value. Also, the University deducts transaction costs from the proceeds of the sale of the property, including the closing costs, title insurance, a survey (if needed), and any taxes due before the gift is completed.