Giving FAQ
Giving Q & A
How can I give? Whom do I call? Where do I mail my check?
The Online Giving Form allows you to make a gift or pledge payment on your debit or credit card.
You can call us to make a gift or pledge payment by credit card at 707-965-7500.
You can mail a check made out to Pacific Union College to: PUC Advancement, One Angwin Ave, Angwin, CA 94508.
You can set up an estate gift or a life income gift through our Estate Planning Office by e-mailing Planned Giving or calling 707-965-6596.
Where should I direct my gift? What are PUC's current priorities?
See The PUC Fund Q & A or The PUC Fund for more information.
How can I find out if my company will match my gift to PUC?
Many companies match employee gifts up to a certain limit per year. Contact your human resources department for information about your company's gift-matching policy.
Can I make recurring credit card gifts?
Yes. PUC accepts recurring credit cards in any amount and on a schedule that is convenient for you. Be selecting a recurring charge from your credit or debit card, you avoid the hassle of writing and mailing a check or filling out a reply form. You also help to ensure reliable and regular support to PUC.
You can set up your recurring gift using the Online Giving Form and selecting "Recurring Gift" from the "Type of Gift" drop-down menu. If you prefer, you can set up a recurring gift by calling us at 707-965-7500.
What are the tax benefits of making a gift to PUC?
All gifts to PUC are tax deductible in the United States.
Whom can I contact if I have a question?
If you have questions about making a gift or using this site, please call 707-965-7500. Our office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm PST and Friday, 8 am to 12 pm, PST. Or email us at advancement@puc.edu.
The PUC Fund Q & A
What is The PUC Fund?
The PUC Fund is the college's highest priority for annual giving. Used exclusively to support today's students, the fund is the most effective way for PUC alumni, students, parents, and friends to contribute financial support for quality education and student life.
What do gifts to The PUC Fund support?
The PUC Fund provides support in three key areas: scholarships, teaching and learning and student life.
I still have questions about The PUC Fund. Where can I get more information?
Visit The PUC Fund section of this site or e-mail us at advancement@puc.edu.
Major Gifts Q & A
How can I explore making an investment in PUC?
Donors considering significant gifts to PUC usually work with advancement to match their interests with the college's priorities. Donors may make gifts through pledges paid over a term of years (2-5 year pledges are most common), through outright gifts of cash or appreciated securities, or by setting up bequests or life income gifts (see Planned Giving) for more information about such gifts). To learn more, please contact Pam Sadler, CFRE and vice president of advancement at 707-965-7500 or e-mail advancement@puc.edu.
What is the difference between an endowment gift and an expendable gift? How does PUC's endowment work?
Expendable gifts are to be spent in their entirety during a specific period of time. They are invested with similar funds and earn interest while remaining highly liquid.
Gifts that create endowment funds are meant to exist in perpetuity, and they are invested for long-term growth. Each year, a portion of the fund's earnings is made available in the form of payout. The payout-usually about 5 percent of the fund's value at the beginning of the fiscal year-is used for the purposes the donor and PUC agreed upon when the gift was made.
How can I establish a named scholarship or endowment?
One may provide perpetual support in the form of an endowed fund wherein the principal remains intact and only a portion of the annual interest earned on its investment may be spent for the intended purpose. There is a minimum level of support ($20,000) required to establish a new endowed fund, payable over some period of time that usually does not exceed five years. However, a donor may add to an existing endowment at any time with any amount. Contact Eckhard Hubin in estate planning at (707) 965-6596 or e-mail estateplanning@puc.edu.
What are the benefits of giving securities to PUC?
If you have securities that have appreciated in value, giving them to PUC allows you to avoid capital gains taxes while also receiving a tax deduction for your gift. To transfer securities to PUC, you may use our Online Giving Form. For more information on how to make a gift of securities, please see below. If you have questions, you may wish to discuss the tax benefits of your gift with your accountant or attorney. For questions on giving securities to PUC, please contact Eckhard Hubin at (707) 965-6596 or e-mail estateplanning@puc.edu.
How can I make a gift of securities to PUC?
There are several options for securities:
Securities held in your brokerage account. If your securities are held in a brokerage account, most brokers will require that you submit written instructions authorizing the transfer to PUC. Contact Eckhard Hubin at 707-965-6596 for information about PUC's brokerage account.
Securities held in certificate form. If you hold stock or bond certificates, you may transfer shares to PUC. You can notify us of your intention to transfer shares using our Online Giving Form. Please mail the certificates along with a completed and signed stock power form to: PUC Advancement, One Angwin Ave, Angwin, CA 94508. Note: The certificates and signed stock power form should be mailed separately.
Securities held by a transfer agent. If you own securities that are held in book entry form by a transfer agent, please contact the transfer agent directly to inquire about requirements for transferring gift stock to PUC. Transfer agents will not disclose the name of the donor to PUC, so please be sure to notify us of your intention using our Online Giving Form calling Eckhard Hubin at 707-965-6596 or e-mailing estateplanning@puc.edu.
Whom should I contact to discuss a large gift opportunity?
To learn more contact Pam Sadler, CFRE, vice president for advancement at 707-965-7500 or e-mail advancement@puc.edu.
Planned Giving Q & A
If I include PUC in my will, whom do I need to tell about it?
PUC appreciates knowing when it is included in an individual's estate plans to make sure the designated purpose of the gift will always be useful. We would also like to show our appreciation to donors who include us in their estate plans.
What are life income gifts and what are the tax advantages of making such a gift?
A life income gift allows you to make a gift to PUC while providing income for yourself or others for a period of time before PUC is permitted to use your gift. You may make a life income gift to the college by irrevocably transferring securities, money, or other property to PUC. The college then manages the investment of the assets and pays an income to you, your designated beneficiaries, or both. The income payments continue for the beneficiary's life or for a term of up to twenty years. After the income payments end, PUC receives the fund principal. Charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities are examples of life income gifts.
Gifts to PUC, as to other charitable organizations, are not subject to gift or estate taxes. For example, a $10,000 bequest to a charity results in the charity receiving the full $10,000, free of tax. Since estate tax rates are up to 47 percent in 2005, that same gift made to an individual (other than a spouse) may result in $4,700 going to the IRS and only $5,300 to the individual. In the case of life income gifts, an income tax deduction for the current value of the "remainder interest" in the donated assets is available. More important in some cases is the fact that the sale of appreciated assets after transfer to a life income arrangement does not give rise to any capital gains taxes on the sale.
How can PUC help me with planned gifts such as life income gifts and bequests?
PUC's Office of Planned Giving will be happy to discuss your particular needs and wishes, and to advise as to how your goals might best be met. They can:
- Help you decide if a bequest to PUC is right for you.
- Give you options for reducing taxes and possibly providing income to you while benefiting PUC in the future.
- Help you choose the best gift technique to accomplish your goals.
- Help you address capital gains taxes on appreciated assets.
- Help you become familiar with how a charitable trust benefiting PUC might work for you.
Contact Eckhard Hubin at 707-965-6596 to discuss your particular needs.