Giving Compass' Take:

• Schwab Charitable provides an overview of what it means to donate appreciated non-cash assets and offers in-depth insights on eight types of assets you may want to consider donating. 

• What non-cash assets could you donate to boost your philanthropic efforts? Is a donor-advised fund the best vehicle for your giving? 

• Read guidance for impact investing and using donor-advised funds. 

Appreciated non-cash assets—such as publicly traded securities, real estate, or private business interests—held more than one year provide a unique opportunity to leverage your most valuable investments to achieve maximum impact with your charitable giving.

If you itemize deductions on your tax return instead of taking the standard deduction, donating these assets can unlock additional funds for charity in two ways. First, you potentially eliminate the capital gains tax you would incur if you sold the assets yourself and donated the proceeds, which may increase the amount available for charity by up to 20%. Second, you may claim a fair market value charitable deduction for the tax year in which the gift is made and may choose to pass on that savings in the form of more giving.

The purpose of this next section is to highlight various assets. you might donate to a donor-advised fund or other public charity. We review the following appreciated asset gift options: