Ways to Donate

Thank you for considering a gift to Gulfshore Opera

Making a gift through our website is an easy and secure way to donate to Gulfshore Opera. Contributions to GO are tax deductible and will be acknowledged promptly in writing for tax purposes.

Please contact Operations Director Michelle Westley at 239-529-3925 or email michelle@gulfshoreopera.org with any questions or for more assistance.

GO tax ID number is #47-0989874.

Installment Pledge

Designate a monthly or quarterly amount to deposit to ENCORE automatically!

Check

Please make checks payable to Gulfshore Opera and mail to: ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 9911 Corkscrew Road, Suite 105. Estero, FL 33928

Credit Card/Recurring Gift

Gulfshore Opera accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa. You may make a one-time gift online, or to set up a recurring gift, contact Michelle Westley at (239) 529-3925.

Corporate Matching Gift

Many companies sponsor matching gift programs that match an employee's charitable contribution. Not only does GO benefit from the increased gift, but a donor may qualify for a higher category of recognition when the gift is matched. Contact Operations Director Michelle Westley at michelle@GulfshoreOpera.org or (239) 529-3925 for more information about this program.

Wire Transfer

Please contact the Administrative Office at (239) 529-3925 or email us at info@GulfshoreOpera.org

Gifts of Securities

By donating appreciated securities directly to GO, you can avoid the capital gains tax that would be incurred if you sold the securities. On the gift day, you may also take a charitable income tax deduction equal to the securities' fair market value.
To make a gift of securities to Gulfshore Opera, please use the following information:

Tax ID #47-0989874
The Morgan Stanley DTC number is 0015
FBO: GULFSHORE OPERA, INC
Account Number: 485-072538-038
Attn: Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, William duPont, Financial Advisor 7811 University Pointe Drive, Suite 100, 1st Floor | Fort Myers, FL 33907 Direct: +1 239 432-5283

Please contact Michelle Westley, GO Operations Director, at 239.529.3925 or michelle@GulfshoreOpera.org to inform us of your intentions and provide the following information:

• Full name of the donor(s)
• Name of the security being gifted
• Number of shares
• Date of transfer
• Intended uses
• Name and telephone number of the broker

Donation of Assets

Examples include Appreciated Securities, Real Estate, Art, and Jewelry.

Planned Gifts

Planned giving is a generous and effective way of ensuring Gulfshore Opera’s future while gaining financial and tax benefits for you and your family. It also allows many to make a more significant gift than they otherwise could give. When you make a bequest of any size to GO in your will, through a trust arrangement, or a retirement or life insurance plan, you become a member of ENCORE! – a program that establishes a fund for the future and honors those who give to it.

You can make a planned gift to GO in many tax-beneficial ways:

Gifts by Bequest

You name GO as a beneficiary in your will or trust. You may make GO the beneficiary of cash, securities, and/or other property without impacting cash flow during your lifetime. The total value of your estate will be reduced by the amount of your gift to GO, which may provide tax benefits for you and your family. Your request can be a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or some part of the remaining balance after other specific gifts are paid.

Gifts from Retirement Plans

For a simple, tax-efficient planned gift, consider naming Gulfshore Opera as the beneficiary of your tax-deferred profit-sharing retirement plan, 401(k) or 403(b) plan, and individual retirement account (IRA). These tax-deferred assets may be subject to income tax when inherited by taxpayers. However, if GO is named beneficiary of any of these plans, the gift amount will be tax-free. This is also one of the easiest gifts to make. In most instances, you can go to the website of the plan's trustee or custodian and change the beneficiary designation. Like a bequest from a will or trust, the gift may be a specific dollar amount or a percentage of the plan assets.

Gifts of Life Insurance Policies

Give a policy you no longer need to Gulfshore Opera! Two ways exist to turn an existing life insurance policy into a generous planned gift to GO. Ask your insurance company for a beneficiary designation form, name Gulfshore Opera as a beneficiary, or consider giving Gulfshore Opera a paid-up policy. If you transfer your policy’s ownership to GO, you may be entitled to a tax deduction equal to the lesser of the policy’s cash surrender value or cost basis.

For more information, contact cpolzin@gulfshoreopera.org

IRA Gifts

Your retirement account (IRA) can be worth more when donated to GO. If you are 70½ or older, you can make a tax-free gift to Gulfshore Opera (GO) directly from your IRA. You can transfer up to $100,000 annually, including your Required Minimum Distribution, as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). This transfer from a traditional or rollover IRA benefits GO and avoids income taxes, making your gift worth more. The transfer must be made directly to GO.

WHY CONSIDER THIS GIFT?

• Your gift will be put to use today, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making.

• You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.

• Once you reach age 70 ½, you may distribute up to $100,000 directly to qualified charities. If you reach age 70 ½ on or after January 1, 2024, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD) starting at 75.

• Since the gift doesn’t count as income, it can reduce your annual income. This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security subject to tax.

• You or your financial advisor may contact our office to discuss this method of giving to GO.

Whether you itemize deductions or choose the new expanded standard deduction, you can use the rules surrounding your IRA to develop a simple giving strategy.

For more information, contact cpolzin@gulfshoreopera.org

Disclaimer Notice: GO does not provide legal or investment advice. GO recommends consulting your tax or legal counsel when making your plans for your legacy gift. If you decide to include GO in your estate plan or name us as a beneficiary, we will find it very helpful to have a copy of that portion of the document for our records.

Legal Name: Gulfshore Opera, Inc.

Address: 9911 Corkscrew Rd. Suite 105, Estero, FL 33928

Phone: (239) 529-3925

Donations are tax-deductible under Section 501(c) (3), tax ID #47 0989874. Florida Charitable solicitation #CH48511.

Gulfshore Opera, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation organized under Section 170 (b) (1) (A) (vi) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Support GO!

Help enrich the cultural landscape of Southwest Florida

You may decide to pay for your Maestro Club membership as a recurring monthly donation by selecting monthly on the donation frequency or contact us at 239-529-3925