Giving appreciated stocks or bonds is a superb way to show support for UK’s programs. With certain limitations, you can deduct the full fair market value of long-term appreciated securities – securities that you have owned a certain amount of time (the time period varies depending on when you obtained the asset) and that have increased in value. You can give away appreciated property and usually avoid the tax on the gain.

Gifts of all securities are deductible up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income, with a five-year carry over. Under certain circumstances, however, you can choose to qualify for the 50 percent adjusted gross income ceiling by reducing the value of your gift by the full amount of its appreciation – that is, to its cost basis (what you paid for the asset.)