Ways of Giving
How Can I Help?

Every gift, large and small, helps to raise the standard of excellence that defines Mount Saint Mary Academy. Our young women, the leadership of tomorrow, are the direct recipients of this standard. We invite you to participate in this very rewarding experience. Online Giving, fast, convenient, secure. Click Here to go to our secure form.

Gifts of Cash

Historically, a cash gift is the easiest and most direct way to give. The gift is usually made by a check payable to Mount Saint Mary Academy and it is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. You may find that you are able to increase the size of your gift by extending payments over a three year period, allowing for payments and tax deductions in each of the three years.

Click here to donate online using our secure form.

Gifts of Appreciated Securities

Publicly traded stocks that have appreciated in value and have been held for more than twelve months offer two advantages: first, you pay no capital gains tax on the appreciation in accordance with the tax law changes of 1997; and second, the full current market value qualifies as a charitable contribution deduction. Please note that to avoid the capital gains tax, the donation must be made to Mount Saint Mary Academy before the securities are sold. Otherwise, you will be liable for tax on the capital gain.

Gifts of Real Estate

Many donors have real estate holdings such as residences, vacation homes or underdeveloped property. In some cases, the property taxes on these parcels have skyrocketed out of proportion to the current value. A gift of property can have significant benefits to the donor and the school alike.

Gifts of Personal Property

Works of art, rare stamps or coins, antiques, etc. are examples of gifts and tangible personal property and qualify for tax deductions at fair market value. The gift must be directly related to the tax-exempt purposes of the school, have been owned for a t least twelve months and not be your own original creation. Gifts with a fair market value of $5,000 or more need to be qualified by an independent appraiser, as required by the Internal Revenue Service.

Commemorative/Memorial Gifts

Gifts may be given to honor a specific individual, organization or to commemorate the memory of a loved one. When a commemorative gift is received, the Office of Development notifies the honoree or, in the case of a memorial gift, the family member(s) of the deceased.

Corporate Matching Gifts

Double the impact of your gift. Many companies have established matching gift programs. These programs match the employee's supported charitable organization, generally on a dollar-for-dollar basis and may include eligibility for retirees and spouses of employees. When the Mount receives the corporate gift, you receive credit for this gift, along with your own. Hence, a matching gift can double and sometimes triple your gift. To see if you, or your spouse's company has a matching gift program, contact your human resources department.

Planned Giving Opportunities

In many cases, a deferred gift enables a donor to make a more significant contribution to Mount Saint Mary Academy than would be possible through an outright gift. Following are some examples of this type of gift.

  • Gifts through Bequests
  • Charitable Gift Annuity
  • Deferred Gift Annuity
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts
  • QTIP Trust
  • Gifts of Life Insurance

To learn more about these and other giving opportunities, please contact:

Rebeca V. Trautner
Director of Institutional Advancement
Mount Saint Mary Academy
1645 US Highway 22 West
Watchung, N.J. 07069-6587
Phone: (908) 757-0108 Ext. 4508
Fax: (908) 756-7528
email: rtrautner@mountsaintmary.org