INTENTIONAL STEWARDSHIP
Strategic and tax-wise ways to give.
Thoughtful giving strategies can increase your generosity’s reach and often provide meaningful financial and tax benefits.
Gifts in a Will
When you give a gift (also known as a “bequest”) to Caring Network in your will or trust, you model to your loved ones a legacy of generosity. You also help ensure that you continue to save lives, through Caring Network, well beyond your lifetime.
Benefits of Gifts in a Will
- Legacy: Extend the impact of your generosity for generations to come.
- Availability: Retain access to your God-given resources for the remainder of your lifetime, or for as long as you need them.
- Capacity: You can potentially make the largest gift you’ll ever have the ability to give.
GIVING FROM A WILL
Gifts From Your IRA
If you are 70 ½ or older, you can make a sizable gift from an individual retirement account (IRA) to Caring Network AND reduce your taxable income.
Benefits of Giving From Your IRA
- Convenient. An easy way to give to Caring Network.
- Tax-wise. Distributions made directly to charity are not treated as taxable income. This is advantageous even if you don’t itemize deductions on your tax returns!
- Promises kept. Gifts from your IRA can be used to fulfill any charitable giving pledges previously made.
- Impactful. Gifts are tax-free to Caring Network. The entirety of your gift will go toward ministry to save lives!
Requirements of a Qualified Charitable Distribution
You can give from your IRA to ministry without any federal tax liability, as long as the gifts are qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). Distributions qualify for all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD).
- IRA holders must be age 70 ½ or older at the time of the gift.
- Give up to $111,000* per year, per person
- Gifts must be outright gifts made directly to a charitable organization.
- Distributions to donor-advised funds, charitable trusts or for charitable gift annuities are not permissible.
- Distributions may only be made from traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs; other retirement accounts are not eligible.
- You can give a one-time qualified charitable distribution (or multiple QCDs within a single year) totaling no more than $55,000 to fund a life income gift.
*As of January 2026. Indexed for inflation annually.
GIVING FROM AN IRA
Giving Stock, Real Estate or Other Assets
Most charitable gifts to Caring Network are given in the form of cash because this is so familiar. However, this may not be the most cost-effective way for you to give.
You can increase your potential impact – and experience significant tax savings – by giving non-cash assets.
Examples of Non-Cash Assets
- Stock or marketable securities (click here for donation instructions)
- Real Estate
- Business interests
- Farm commodities
- Life insurance
- Retirement benefits, such as Gifts From Your IRA
Benefits of Giving Non-Cash Assets
- Tax-wise. Receive a fair market value deduction at the time of your gift and avoid tax liability on the sale of appreciated assets.
- Eliminate hassles. Give assets you no longer need or want to manage (such as rental properties of vacation homes) for the benefit of Caring Network.
GIFTS THAT REDUCE TAXES
Gifts That Pay You Income
A lifetime income gift – such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust – is a wonderful solution if you wish to provide for Caring Network in a substantial way, but are concerned about having enough retirement income.
You can give cash or other property, and receive steady income for the rest of your life (or a designated number of years). The remainder will benefit Caring Network.
Benefits of Lifetime Income Gifts
- Win-win. Support Caring Network while securing income payments for life or a designated number of years.
- Eliminate hassles. Give assets you no longer need or care to manage (such as rental property or vacation homes) to benefit God’s Kingdom.
- Tax-wise. Receive an immediate income tax deduction at the time of your gift and reduce capital gains tax when funding your gift with appreciated assets.
GIFTS THAT PAY INCOME
Donor-Advised Funds
Donor-advised funds provide you with a simple, flexible and tax-efficient giving opportunity. Receive an immediate tax deduction when you deposit cash or proceeds from appreciated assets into a single charitable giving account. Then, recommend grants be made to Caring Network and your other favorite charities at a time that works best for you.
Through Caring Network’s membership with Barnabas Foundation, you have complimentary access to the “Stewards Fund,” a donor-advised fund that reflects your biblical values.
Benefits of Using the Stewards Fund
- Timing. Receive an immediate tax deduction at the time you make a gift into the Stewards Fund. Then, at a time that works best for you, advise Barnabas Foundation how you wish your gifts to be distributed to Caring Network and other ministries close to your heart.
- Flexibility. Grants can be requested at any time of the day using Barnabas Foundation’s convenient online grant system. You may choose to give in one-time or recurring increments, and you may choose to designate your gift to meet specific ministry needs at Caring Network.
- Simplicity. Simplify your giving and record-keeping by making all gifts of cash, stocks or appreciated assets from a single account.
- Privacy. You can choose to make any or all grants to Caring Network anonymously.
- Expertise. Benefit from the knowledge and expertise of Barnabas Foundation staff who will manage and liquidate your non-cash asset gifts.
- Cost-effective. Many families choose to use their Stewards Fund account as a cost-effective alternative to establishing a private foundation.
GIVING THROUGH THE STEWARDS FUND
Learn More
Through Caring Network’s partnership with Barnabas Foundation, you have complimentary access to trusted planning support, all from a Christian perspective. A Barnabas Foundation planner will help you develop a plan that honors God, cares for the needs of your family and supports the ministries close to your heart.
Barnabas Foundation
Since 1976, Barnabas Foundation has helped thousands of individuals and families give more effectively to the ministries close to their hearts. They’ll help you accomplish the greatest good with your generosity – for your family and for God’s Kingdom – through tax-wise charitable giving.
