Outright Gifts
Cash
Cash gifts, the easiest way to give, offer a tax deduction for the full amount of the gift in the year it is made. We thank you in advance for sending your gift of cash or check, made payable to Rider University, to:
Office of Annual Giving
Rider University
2083 Lawrenceville Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
609-896-5392
Please include a note if your gift is designated for the Westminster Choir College.
Credit Card
Credit card gifts have become a quick and easy way to give. Rider University accepts VISA, MasterCard and Discover. If you would like to make a gift with your credit card, please call the Office of Annual Giving at 609-896-5392.
Matching Gifts
You can double or triple the impact of your gift and boost your donor club level as well. More than 7,500 companies sponsor matching gift programs to support higher education for employees and their families. Last year, many Rider supporters made sure their dollars went as far as possible. By simply taking the extra step and checking with their Human Resources office, the University received over $120,000 in corporate matching gifts! Many companies will also match the contributions of their retired employees and spouses of employees.
Please contact your Human Resources office to find out if your company has a matching gift program. If your company participates, please request the appropriate form and return it to us with your contribution.
Appreciated Securities
Giving appreciated securities is a convenient way to support Rider and the Westminster Choir College while gaining tax advantages. You will receive an income tax deduction for the full market value of the stock on the date of the gift, provided you have owned the securities for more than 12 months. Most donors avoid liability for capital gains tax otherwise due on the sale of securities.
When the security is held by your broker or commercial banker:
Notify your broker that your want to give securities to Rider and send a letter to the broker and the Rider University Office of Gift Planning, and also include the amount of shares, the name(s) of the stock(s), and state your intention for the gift. In the letter, direct your broker to transfer your gift into Rider's account. If the broker has any questions, he/she can call the Office of Gift Planning at 609-896-5190 for further instructions. To transfer stock to Rider's account, your broker can use the following: Merrill Lynch Account # 87604E45
Rider University DTC # 5198
Mr. David Shea
Assistant Vice President
7 Roszel Road
4th Floor
Princeton, NJ 08540
Telephone: 609-243-7932
Fax: 609-243-7825
When the security is in your name and in your possession:
- You must obtain the stock/bond power from your broker, banker, or download here (PDF).
- You must also obtain a Release form from the Rider University Office of Gift Planning. We can send or fax you a form, or you can download the release form.
- Sign the stock/bond power and the Release form and have your signature notarized. Sign exactly as your name appears on the stock certificate. If the security is jointly owned, both owners must sign the stock/bond power.
- Mail the signed stock power and Release forms in a separate envelope to the address below along with a copy of your letter of transmittal.
- Mail unendorsed certificates by first class or registered mail with a letter of transmittal to the Office of Gift Planning at Rider University.
- If the certificates are already endorsed, send them by insured mail or deliver them in person to the Office of Gift Planning. For gifts to Westminster Choir College, please mail the certificates to the Office of Major Gifts at Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
Valuation of Your Securities
The gift value of securities is the mean of the high and low prices on the date that the securities are transferred by your broker and received in Rider's account or hand delivered or mailed (date of the later postmark if not the same) in negotiable form to Rider.
The ceiling on deductibility of your gift of appreciated securities is 30 percent of gross income. However, usually you may carry forward any excess as a deduction for as many as five years. Please consult your attorney or accountant for further information.
Benefits of a Gift of Long-Term Appreciated Securities
| Securities Gift | Cash | |
| Market Value | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Original Cost | - $2,000 | |
| Equals Capital Gain | $8,000 | |
| Income Tax Deduction | $10,000 | $10,000 |
|
Income Tax Avoided(Percent used in reference to tax bracket) |
$3,100 | $3,100 |
| Capital-Gain Tax Avoided $8,000 x 20% | + $1,600 | |
| Equals Total Tax Savings | $4,700 | $3,100 |
| Cost of $10,000 gift | $5,300 | $6,900 |
| Benefit to Rider University | $10,000 | $10,000 |
Short-term Appreciation
It is usually inadvisable to make a charitable gift of appreciated securities when your capital gain is short term (e.g., you have owned the securities 12 months or less). Such a gift is deductible only on the amount of its cost basis, not its market value.
Depreciated Securities
In general, it is not advisable to donate securities that are currently worth less than you paid for them. If the sale of stocks or bonds would result in a tax-deductible loss, it is usually to your advantage to sell them to establish a tax loss and then donate the proceeds to Rider. Closely Held Stock
Making a gift to Rider of closely held or restricted stock may allow you to gain immediate cash benefits through tax savings. Because closely held or restricted stock requires special handling, please contact the Office of Gift Planning for information at 609-896-5190.
Gifts of Property
Real Estate
Real estate can be contributed outright or through a life-income gift. You can contribute the entire interest in your property or a fraction of the interest. You can even contribute your personal residence, but continue to reside there for the rest of your life. This gift of a future interest in your home lets you continue to enjoy your home without diminishing your standard of living and while obtaining a substantial current income tax charitable deduction. Since every gift involving real estate is unique, please contact the Office of Gift Planning on the Lawrenceville campus or the Westminster Choir College to receive more information.
Creating a Scholarship
One popular way to support Rider students is through scholarship assistance, which represents one of Rider's most pressing needs. More than 75 percent of Rider’s students qualify for and receive some level of financial assistance. While gifts in any amount may be directed to Rider scholarships, you may prefer to create a specially named fund.
Scholarships may be designated for students within a particular discipline such as science, business, communications, or those with a specific grade point average. Fewer restrictions allow our Office of Student Financial services to respond with greater flexibility to the needs of our students as they arise in any given year.
Endowed Scholarship Fund
Establishing a named endowed scholarship fund requires a minimum gift of $20,000. You may take up to three years to reach $20,000. You will be asked to sign parameters outlining the purpose of the scholarship. Each year, the University will provide opportunities for you to meet your scholarship recipients.
Named Scholarships
A minimum of $500 must be received in order to create a named scholarship or award. Similar to the named endowed scholarship fund, you would establish parameters outlining the purpose of the scholarship, if any, and have the opportunity to meet the student recipient.
Why is Providing Financial Aid Important?
Rider believes it is important to admit students on the basis of their personal and academic strengths, without regard to their ability to pay tuition. In the current year, approximately 75 percent of Rider students received financial aid totaling over $13.0 million from Rider resources alone. The average financial aid package covered close to half of a student's total cost at Rider. The resources Rider devotes to financial aid make it the fastest growing item in the University budget and now represents 17 percent of the total operating budget. Because endowment growth has not kept pace with the increasing need for financial aid, Rider has had to rely on annual operating funds to support financial aid.
To mail material to the Lawrenceville campus:
Office of Gift Planning
Rider University
2083 Lawrenceville Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
609-896-5190
To mail material to the Westminster Choir College:
Office of Major Gifts
Westminster Choir College of Rider University
101 Walnut Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-921-7100 x8213
