The First United Methodist Church of Seattle is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. First Church’s tax identification number is available upon request.
If you have any questions about donations, please get in touch with us at (206)622-7278.
Melinda Waggoner, our Director of Operations: Melinda@firstchurchseattle.org , (206) 622-7278 ext. 101
Chun Yang, our Bookkeeper and Office Manager: bookkeeper@firstchurchseattle.org,(206) 622-7278 ext. 106
GIFT OF STOCKS
If you have stock that is held in a brokerage account that you wish to gift, your broker can transfer your gift electronically.
Instructions to Donors:
1. Donors must contact their portfolio managers and provide the following information for our account:
- Receiving Firm Name: Charles Schwab
- Schwab account number: 2450-4729
- DTC number 0164 Code 40
- Recipient Account Name: First United Methodist Church of Seattle
- Contact – Contra Line (for moving assets) 602-355-9003 (We do not have a specific account manager)
2. Request Donors to contact our Director of Operations (melinda@firstchurchseattle.org) with the following details:
- Number of shares or other equities
- The equity symbol
- The date of their donation
3. If your investment firm needs to verify any details please have them contact Melinda Waggoner:
- Office: 206.622.7278, Ext 101
- Cell: 757.478.7187
- Email: melinda@firstchurchseattle.org
For year-end contributions, donors must initiate the transfers with their portfolio managers by November 30 in order to allow sufficient time for processing in that calendar year.
Upon completion of a stock gift, an acknowledgment letter with no $ value, will be sent to you. This will be proof of the receipt of your donation. To also provide you credit towards a pledge, we will enter an average of daily FMV into our system so that we can align the gift with any pledge you committed. This will be coded as non-deductible, but it does not make the gift non-deductible. It is just a limitation of our systems since, as a church, we cannot legally provide the initial value of your stocks, as what we receive may be a different amount based on trading. This limitation is specifically dictated by the IRS. Our posting method of the “non-deductible” classification is also based on direction from our CPA to avoid any potential of “double dipping” in tax filings (i.e. accidentally using our statements and the financial firm’s 1099 for taxes causing a double credit). Please contact your investment firm or portfolio manager for your tax filing documents.
IRA ROLLOVER GIFTS
If you are over age 70.5, you can donate funds from your traditional IRA to First Church. Simply call the custodian of the IRA at the number listed on your statements and request that a distribution be made directly to our organization. The custodian will cut a check and mail it to us. You will not be liable for income tax on this gift. In addition, you can count up to $100,000 per year in charitable giving towards your required minimum distribution. For directions on how to make a IRA rollover gift please contact Melinda Waggoner, our Business Manager, at Melinda@firstchurchseattle.org or call (206)622-7278
DONOR ADVISED FUNDS
A donor advised fund is a type of giving program that allows the donor to combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to easily support First Church. Contributions are tax-deductible and any investment growth in the donor advised fund is tax-free. Our contact person for donor advised funds is Melinda Waggoner, our Business Manager, at Melinda@firstchurchseattle.org or (206)622-7278
CORPORATE MATCHING
Your employer may match your donation to First Church. Don’t miss this opportunity to make twice the impact with your gift. Contact your human resources department for more information on your company’s matching gift program. For directions on how to make a corporate matching gift, please contact Melinda Waggoner, our Business Manager, at Melinda@firstchurchseattle.org or (206)622-7278
LEGACY GIVING
When you name First Church in your will or trust or as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, saving account, or life insurance policy, you ensure that First Church has the resources to continue to be a refuge of inclusive Christianity that advocates for the homeless and hungry for years to come. To learn more, give us a call at (206)622-7278 or contact Melinda Waggoner, our Business Manager, at Melinda@firstchurchseattle.org
MEMORIAL AND TRIBUTE GIFTS
First Church welcomes gifts made in honor of loved ones and special occasions. When you make a gift in honor of a loved one, they are notified in the manner you wish. We are grateful to accept gifts for a variety of occasions, including: Weddings, Graduations, Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries, and Memorials.
RECORDING OF YOUR SPECIAL GIFTS
First Church acknowledges that your gifts of stocks or from investments accounts are, in fact, tax deductible, we are simply not the entity that provides the proof of that tax deductible donation. All IRS accepted tax deductible documents for stock or investment gifts must come from the investment firm that initiated the transfer to us.
In order to provide acknowledgement of the gifts in our systems we are required to post all gifts of stocks or from investment/retirement accounts as “non-deductible”. Our posting method of the “non-deductible” does not make the gift non-deductible. The classification is based on direction from our CPA to avoid any potential of “double dipping” in tax filings (i.e. accidentally using our statements and the financial firm’s 1099 for taxes causing a double credit). Please contact your investment firm or portfolio manager for your tax filing documents.