Donate
We rely on the generosity of our members and users to support the Society. All donations are tax deductible. Read about the various options below. If you have questions please contact us.
Donate via PayPal
You may donate at any time using Paypal. Click the button below to begin.
Celebration and Memory gardens at the front of our building offer the opportunity to have your message engraved on a paving brick or bench. Donations can also be made for plants and trees or just to honor an individual, family, or event.
Celebration garden brochure (pdf)
To the west of the Society's front entrance, the garden is designed as a gathering place. It is also a location in which individuals and events can be remembered and celebrated through the Engraved Brick Program.
The east side is the more contemplative area. It is intended as a place for quiet reflection and the scattering or interment of ashes. The garden expands the ways in which we can come together as a community both to mourn and to celebrate.
What is an Ethical Society of St. Louis Charitable Gift Annuity?
The Society’s Charitable Gift Annuity is a contractual agreement between one or two donors and the Ethical Society of St. Louis (ESSL).
In return for the donor’s gift of cash or securities, the ESSL will make quarterly payments to an annuitant or annuitants for life in a single-life or two-life annuity.
These payments are fixed and based on the market value of the initial gift and the annuitant's age. After the life of the annuitant(s), the residual value of the annuity contract passes to ESSL for general operations or to certain specific funds.
The ESSL Charitable Gift Annuity is available to anyone 60 or older and the minimum annuity contract is $10,000.
What are the Benefits of an ESSL Charitable Gift Annuity?
- The annuity rates are substantially higher than current rates for Treasuries, CDs, passbook or money market accounts.
- In the initial year of the gift, there is a partial charitable tax deduction.
- A portion of each annuity payment received during life expectancy is free from income tax.
- There is the option of having an immediate or deferred annuity. Immediate annuity payments would start within 90 days of the gift and deferred annuity payments could start years after the gift.
- A surviving spouse or loved one in a two-life annuity will receive payments for life after the first annuitant’s death.
- If the initial gift is funded by appreciated securities, a donor or donors can reduce the capital gains tax on a portion of the gift and spread the remaining tax over their life expectancy.
An example of a Charitable Gift Annuity
Jo Ann, 75, makes a planned gift to the Ethical Society of St. Louis of $10,000 in cash for a single life Charitable Gift Annuity. Based on her age at the time of her gift, her annuity payment rate would be 5.8%. Therefore, the ESSL would pay her $580 a year for life. Of this annuity amount, $456 or 78.6% would be tax free to her throughout her life expectancy. Also in the first year of her gift, she will receive a charitable tax deduction of $4,348 if she itemizes on her income taxes.
This is a win-win scenario since Jo Ann’s gift will increase her income compared to other investments, give her income tax benefits, and support the Ethical Society after her lifetime.
Rates
Annuity rates are determined by the American Council of Gift Annuities or ACGA. The current tables are subject to change.
For more information, contact us if you have questions or would like to sign up..
iGive members who support the Ethical Society of St. Louis can generate donations by shopping at any of 1760 stores, or by simply using their built-in search engine. There is no cost, obligation, or hidden fees. iGive always has been and always will be a free service to causes and members.
If your donation is In Memory Of or In Honor Of someone, please include the following:
- Name of the person in whose memory or honor you are making a donation
- The name and address of the person who should be notified of your donation (such as the spouse of the deceased)
Some of the ways you can contribute to the future of the Ethical Society include:
- Providing for an unrestricted or restricted charitable gift through your will or trust. Our legal name is "The Ethical Society of St. Louis." The Legacy Committee will be happy to provide you with a list of referrals for estate attorneys.
- Naming the Ethical Society as a beneficiary of an IRA or life insurance policy. This procedure can be accomplished without an estate attorney.
- Investing in an Ethical Society Charitable Gift Annuity (information above). This vehicle provides a tax deduction in the first year and quarterly income for the life of the donor. It, too, can be accomplished without an estate attorney.
- Transferring a remainder interest in a home, farm, or rental property while the donor maintains possession for life or an earlier designated time.
- Making a current gift of cash, stock, life insurance policy, or other appreciated property. This can have a favorable tax effect for the donor.
Donors who notify the Legacy Committee of planned estate or lifetime gifts are recognized within the Ethical Society as "Legacy Friends."
Brochures that provide more detail on the Legacy Program and estate planning strategies are available at the Ethical Society office. Please stop by and pick up a brochure at your convenience. For additional information, prospective donors should contact the office.
For a very nominal amount you can dedicate the Sunday Platform flowers to a loved one. Sponsoring the flowers is a wonderful opportunity to recognize an achievement, note a special day or remember someone special. Contact us for information or to make a dedication.
The Ethical Society of St. Louis is our community—members create it and support it. Member pledges sustain the people, facilities, and programs of the Society. National surveys reveal that religious congregations need members to contribute at least two percent of their income to fund a successful community. Our Society asks the same.
Each Society member is expected to contribute annually to the financial well-being of the Society. Pledges from friends of the Society are also welcome. A campaign to solicit pledges from each member is held during January and February every year. The goal of the campaign is to determine the total amount of money the members will pledge to contribute during the next fiscal year which begins on the first day of June. At the annual membership meeting, members vote to approve a budget in which the income is largely based on pledges.
New members are asked to make a pledge when they join. Guidelines for giving are published to help people decide their level of contribution. Provision is made by a waiver process to accommodate those who are not financially able to make a minimal pledge.
Pledging percentages distribute more fairly the costs of community membership than a flat membership fee. Recommended percentages are guidelines. Members making less money or struggling with unusual financial circumstances can elect to give an amount that makes sense to them. And members can increase pledges as their circumstances change or as the Society becomes more meaningful to them.
Pledges are requested in the spring or upon joining the Society. You stipulate the amount that you pledge. You can elect to contribute that amount in one lump sum or pay it in quarterly, monthly, or weekly installments. The Society will send you statements for tax purposes.
Non-Members, please pay Ethical Education Fees through PayPal.
2023-24 Fees for Non-Members:
- $100 per semester for the first child
- $50 per semester for each additional sibling
- Maximum contribution per family each semester is $200
For financial assistance or a pro-rated amount for late-comers, please email seek@ethicalstl.org.
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Show off your support for the Society by wearing something from our branded collection https://www.cafepress.com/ethicalstl.
Get Ethical Society music merchandise. All proceeds go to support music programming at the Society.
