In November or December each year the WTS has an article about how to make donations. It is just before the cutoff date for donations for tax purposes.
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w05 11/1 pp. 28-30 Contributions That Warm God’s Heart
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Ways
in Which Some Choose to
Give
CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE WORLDWIDE WORKMany set aside, or budget, an amount that they place in the contribution boxes labeled "Contributions for the Worldwide Work—Matthew 24:14."
Each month, congregations forward these amounts to the office of Jehovah’s Witnesses that serves their respective countries. Voluntary donations of money may also be sent directly to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Attention Treasurer’s Office, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York 11201-2483, or to the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses that serves your country. Checks sent to the above address should be made payable to "Watch Tower." Jewelry or other valuables may be donated as well. A brief letter stating that such is an outright gift should accompany these contributions.
CONDITIONAL-DONATION
TRUST ARRANGEMENT
Money may be placed in trust with Watch Tower for use worldwide. However, upon request the funds will be returned. For more information, please contact the Treasurer’s Office at the address noted above.
CHARITABLE
PLANNING
In addition to outright gifts of money, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These include:
Insurance:
Watch Tower may be named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or a retirement/pension plan.
Bank
Accounts: Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts may be placed in trust for or made payable on death to Watch Tower, in accord with local bank requirements.
Stocks
and Bonds: Stocks and bonds may be donated to Watch Tower as an outright gift.
Real
Estate: Salable real estate may be donated either by making an outright gift or, in the case of residential property, by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live therein during his or her lifetime. Contact the branch office in your country before deeding any real estate.
Gift
Annuity: A gift annuity is an arrangement whereby one transfers money or securities to a designated corporation that is used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. In exchange, the donor, or someone designated by the donor, receives a specified annuity payment every year for life. The donor receives an income-tax deduction for the year in which the gift annuity is established.
Wills
and Trusts: Property or money may be bequeathed to Watch Tower by means of a legally executed will, or Watch Tower may be named as beneficiary of a trust agreement. A trust benefiting a religious organization may provide certain tax advantages.
As the term "charitable planning" implies, these types of donations typically require some planning on the part of the donor. To assist individuals desiring to benefit the worldwide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses through some form of charitable planning, a brochure has been prepared in English and Spanish entitled Charitable
Planning
to
Benefit
Kingdom
Service
Worldwide.
The brochure was written to provide information on a variety of ways that gifts may be made either now or through a bequest at death. After reading the brochure and conferring with their own legal or tax advisers, many have been able to help support the religious and humanitarian activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide and maximize their tax benefits while doing so. This brochure may be obtained by requesting a copy directly from the Charitable Planning Office.
For more information, you may contact the Charitable Planning Office, either in writing or by telephone, at the address listed below or you may contact the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses that serves your country.
Charitable
Planning OfficeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
100 Watchtower Drive
Patterson, New York 12563-9204
Telephone: (845) 306-0707
Also, each time the congregations sends donations to the WTS from the "worldwide donation" box, the WTS sends back and acknowledgement letter and the brother who does accounts is required to read it during the accounts part on the service meeting each month. This is meant to encourage donations indirectly.
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km 3/05 p. 2 Service Meeting Schedule
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10
min: Local announcements. Read accounts report and donation acknowledgments.
Also periodically, the WTS inserts this announcement in the KM to also indirectly encourage donations.
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km 5/05 p. 7 Announcements ***Donations made by check and put in the local Kingdom Hall contribution boxes for the worldwide work and the Kingdom Hall Fund should be made payable to "Jehovah’s Witnesses." Donations made by check at district conventions and those sent to the branch office should be made payable to "Watch Tower." The branch office financial address is Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, c/o Office of the Secretary and Treasurer, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483.
Blondie
