Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the three kinds of gifts I can give World Vision?
First, during your lifetime, you can make an outright gift of cash, appreciated securities or appreciated property.

Second, upon your death, you can make a bequest or distribution from a life insurance policy.

Third, you can make a gift that returns lifetime income to you, your spouse, or other individuals, such as a charitable gift annuity or a unitrust.


2. What sort of assets can I use to make a gift?
Almost anything that will produce benefit for World Vision: cash, publicly traded securities, the balance of your retirement account. Other assets can be very valuable but are more complicated to administer, and must be reviewed by us before we can accept them as gifts: real estate, closely held stock and artwork.


3. What tax deduction will I receive for my gift?
It depends on the form your gift takes:

  • Outright gifts to World Vision generate a full income-tax charitable deduction. Outright gifts of appreciated securities are deductible at fair market value, with no recognition of capital gains – a great tax benefit!
  • Gifts of personal property, like art, books and collectibles, are fully deductible so long as they are relevant to World Vision’s mission. The Gift Planning Department can advise you on this point.
  • Bequests do not generate a lifetime income tax deduction. They are exempt from estate tax, however.
  • Similarly, life insurance distributions to World Vision are not income-tax deductible, but are exempt from estate tax. If you have made World Vision the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of a policy, you may deduct annual gifts that offset our premium payments (for more details on this point, see Question 5 below).
  • The charitable deduction for a gift that returns income to you, such as an annuity or a charitable remainder trust, is the fair market value of the gift asset minus the present value of the income interest you have retained.


4. Can World Vision serve as the Executor of my estate?
No. State law, the limitations of our corporate powers, and our internal policies prevent us from taking such a role in your affairs.


5. I want to set up a life insurance policy, name World Vision as beneficiary, but retain ownership of the policy. Can I deduct the premium payments I make?
No. The IRS would not consider that a "completed gift" – they’d say that, as the owner of the policy, you could change the beneficiary designation to a friend or family member. World Vision must be made the irrevocable owner of the policy for your gifts offsetting our premium payments to be deductible.


6. Can I transfer my IRA to World Vision to set up a life-income gift, and avoid income tax on the transfer?
Under present law, the distribution to World Vision would be included in your taxable income. Proposed legislation would make the transfer tax-free, however. Watch our Website for updates.


7. I’d like to donate a painting. Will World Vision determine its value for my income tax deduction?
No, we can’t. The IRS requires that donors of artwork and collectibles secure an independent appraisal of the items to set their fair market value. The appraisal has to be related to the gift, too – an insurance appraisal won’t suffice. The Planned Giving Office can assist you on this point.


8. I’m interested in establishing a charitable gift annuity. What financial provisions does World Vision make for the income payments to me and my husband?
Your charitable gift annuity will be treated as a general obligation of World Vision, backed by all the assets of the organization. We have an unbroken record in making timely payments to our annuitants, and that ongoing responsibility is a key element in our financial policies.


9. I’m establishing a unitrust. My bank will serve as trustee, and I’m naming World Vision as the remainder beneficiary. My attorney is advising me to make that designation revocable. Will World Vision still recognize me as a donor?
We are grateful that you have named us as beneficiary, and we will make you a member of our Host of Hope Society. Your gift is deductible for income tax purposes (see Question 3 above). Because our interest is not irrevocable, however, we cannot give you gift credit until our remainder interest is payable.