Spiritualism does not begin and end with Sunday service. It is part of your community and can be part of your way of life. How much of a part it plays is up to you. It all depends on the effort you are willing to put into the church. For those who are able, it also depends on whether or not the church has the financial support necessary to serve.

Your offering is an important way to support the church, and it is the weekly offering that pays the rent. No one receives compensation for their work, and virtually all of the money you give the church is used in service to the community. If you want a strong Spiritualist presence in the Reno/Sparks area, then we need your strong support.

Having a dedicated meeting facility offers many benefits beyond the Sunday service. An important objective is to have space for a children’s meeting area aside from the main service. A library provides many hidden benefits to the Spiritualist community and it is very helpful to have room for a refrigerator and coffeepot.

A dedicated space means that more classes in mediumship, healing and Spiritualist principles can be offered, and it is even possible that a weekly meditation can become part of the community service—if only we had a dedicate space.

There are a number of effective ways for you to help assure the success of the Reno/Sparks Spiritualist church. It is a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt organization, and as such, your donations are tax deductible. This fact can offer you a way to support the long-time service of the church even as you continue to benefit from your assets. Besides cash contributions, the four most common vehicles for contributing to the church are:

Bequest
A bequest provision for the church is added your will or revocable trust.

Charitable Trust
An account is established with a financial institution in the name of the church

Real Estate
You can give property to the church and avoid capital gains taxes on the appreciation

Securities
By making a contribution of highly appreciated stock to the church, you can claim a tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock and not pay capital gains tax on the appreciated value

No account at this time

The church is able to receive donations via a number of institutionally managed plans, including (click on the name to see how they work):

Bequest

Charitable Trust

Real Estate

Securities

How Bequests Work

• You can provide now for a future gift to the church by having a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust.

• Your will or trust directs assets to your heirs.

• Your will or trust directs a bequest to the church for the purpose you specify.

Benefits

• Your assets remain in your control during your lifetime.

• You can modify your bequest if your circumstances change.

• You can direct your bequest to a particular purpose.

• You can have the satisfaction now of knowing that your bequest will support the church in the way you intended when you are gone.

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How Charitable Trusts works

• An account is established with a financial institution in the name of the church.

• You transfer cash or securities to that account.

• The church pays you, via the financial institution, fixed payments for life.

• The principal passes to the Achurch when the contract ends.

Benefits

• You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your gift.

• Your annuity payments are guaranteed for life, backed by the reserve of your original contribution.

• Your annuity payments may be treated as part ordinary income, part capital gains income and part tax-free income, depending on the assets used to fund the annuity.

• You can have the satisfaction of making a significant gift that benefits you now and the church later.

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Giving Real Estate

Real estate can be among the most advantageous contribution vehicles for a donor. Personal residences, rental or commercial property, farms and ranches, and undeveloped land are among the possibilities for a contribution of this nature.

• You can give property to the church and avoid capital gains taxes on the appreciation.

• At the same time, you can claim the full fair market value of the property as a charitable tax deduction.

• You may also qualify for estate tax benefits.

The church can accept real estate through a Planned Giving arrangement, which would be managed by a third party.

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Contributions of Securities

By making a contribution of highly appreciated stock to the church, you can claim a tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock and not pay capital gains tax on the appreciated value.

If you need your appreciated securities to generate income, but would still like to receive the tax advantages of a charitable gift and support the church, you might consider contributing securities through a Planned Giving arrangement.

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Planned giving explanations are based on those provided by the SETI Institute.