Thrivent Funds


Over the past five years eligible Thrivent members have designated over $12,000 ($10,273 COS and $1780 to Endowment Fund) by taking advantage of Thrivent Choice. This is another way in which Thrivent, a 501(c)9 Fraternal Organizationdistributes its profits to member activities.

The funds are generated from qualifying insurance premiums and/or annuities held by its members. If you receive notices re: Thrivent Choice opportunities, please review and consider directing funds to COS or the COS Endowment Fund, If you are not a Thrivent member and would like to learn more you can go to www.thrivent.com or call Mark Gluckner, (866.614.4839) our local representative, who will provide personal information for you. 


LUTHERAN CHURCH EXTENSION FUND


BETTER, HIGHER RATES! The LCEF is now offering to all investors a Partners Plus investment opportunity that will support loans to churches, schools, pastors, and other church workers. This new Partners Plus program is offering a 4.00% fixed rate 2-year note. Also, it offers a 3.75% fixed rate 4-year note. 

LCEF is continuing to offer the Y.I. Club for young investors at a premium rate for amounts up to $1000. They also offer a Connect Plus program for NEW investors at a 4.50% fixed rate. Call the LCEF at 1-800-843-5233. (Tiered amounts/1 per social security number.)


LUTHERAN CHURCH EXTENSION FUND NEW NOTE!
They are offering a 2½ year fixed-rate term note for a steady 6.25% rate. This is for new money only with a minimum investment of $500.00. You can even invest it as an individual retirement account (IRA). Call the LCEF at 1-800-843-5233.

Christ Our Savior Endowment Fund


If you have had a Financial Plan in place for five or more years perhaps you may want to review the plan with your Tax Advisor and remember the Endowment fund in your planning. Or you might consider the Tax advantages of a gifting stock which has gained in value this year; you can deduct the value of the stock as a charitable gift and avoid the income tax. (Please be sure to have the stock sent to the Fund and do not cash it in.)

Alternately consider a gift of life insurance or other assets to your COS Endowment Fund. This fund will intentionally keep its principle intact, and as it grows will utilize its net income for future ministries which God presents to the COS family of faith.


“Christ Our Savior Endowment Fund at Work”
 

Each year the Endowment Fund is able to consider requests from within the congregation, and to a lesser extent outside the congregation, for funding to help start new ministries or provide needed support for existing ones. Dividends and interest from the investments are available for these grants. We recently awarded grants supporting a new ministry at COS called “Sisters in Hope” as well as for Bridge City Community Mission in Chattanooga and Lutheran School Scholarship support at St. Peter and Christ the King Lutheran Schools.
A brief comment from one of the thank you notes received, “The timing could not be more perfect as we recently purchased some new A/V equipment to better serve the needs of folks here and abroad though the ministry of the Bridge City Community” – Pastor Josh. Thanks, Christ Our Savior, for your support of the Endowment Fund! Please contact any member of the Endowment Committee for more information.

Life insurance

Life Insurance contracts offer a way to benefit the long term COS mission at a relatively low cost for the donor but with high leverage potential. In order to deduct premium payments as charitable deductions, the donor must name the charity as both owner and irrevocable beneficiary of the policy. Specific plans for the continuation of premium payments, if any, should be discussed with the charitable owner as part of assigned gift arrangements.
An estate leveraging technique and alternate means of using life insurance is the wealth-replacement option. A donor makes a gift to the COS Endowment Fund and then, using the tax savings produced by the charitable deduction from that gift, purchases and pays the premi-ums on a life insurance policy which has proceeds roughly equivalent to the value of the con-tributed assets. Thus, the assets used to MAKE the gift are, in effectively, “replaced” with in-surance, typically without incurring taxation on distribution.
Key Points:
Opportunity to make a substantial gift that may not have been possible in your lifetime or with your resources
Potential to provide life income for a beneficiary as well as support for our mission
Potential to reduce income and/or estate taxes

Electronic Giving!


Contributions can now be debited automatically from your checking or savings account. Our electronic giving program offers convenience for you and much-needed donation consistency for our congregation. Authorization forms are available from the church office. Please place completed forms in a sealed envelope, address to Financial Secretary, and return to the church office. Thank you for your participation. Any questions, please contact the Church Office.


Tax Tips for Charitable Contributions

Gifts of Appreciated Securities: If you are claiming itemized deductions and have stocks or bonds that have appreciated in value, you can get a double tax benefit by making a charitable donation of these securities. The full value of the securities (up to 30% of Adjusted Gross Income) will qualify for a chari-table deduction, and the gain that would otherwise be recognized if the securities are sold is not taxed.

“Qualified Charitable Distributions” for RMDs: If you are over 70 ½ , have a traditional IRA or other retirement accounts, and are required to make “minimum distributions” (RMDs) each year, a direct transfer from the trustee of your retirement account to a qualified charity up to $100,000/year (called a “qualified charitable distribution” or QCD) may be excluded from taxable income. This permits taxpay-ers with RMDs who claim the standard deduction to get a tax benefit comparable to those who itemize. QCDs may also be beneficial for those who itemize, since the reduction in Adjusted Gross Income may avoid higher Medicare premiums, higher taxation of Social Security benefits, and “scale backs” that ap-ply to medical and other itemized deductions.

To achieve the intended result, it is essential that QCDs be processed and posted to the IRA prior to year- end. IRA trustees generally require that a form be submitted in order for them to submit a check directly to the charity. In this case, it is important that the form be submitted well in advance of year-end (i.e., not later that the first week in December). Fidelity and certain other trustees provide for check books for making direct IRA transfers that can expedite this process. Consult your tax advisor or a mem-ber of the COS Endowment Committee if you desire more information.

Excellent Time to Check Your Withholding

With about three months left this year, October is an excellent time to check your withholding amounts. In IR-2019-149, the Service explains enhancements to the Tax Withholding Estimator tool on IRS.gov. The "estimator" is a mobile-friendly tool with new features for self-employed individuals. Many taxpayers now are self-employed or have income from side gigs. Users can enter their wage, pension or other retirement income. Any side income may then be added. The estimator will highlight your potential deductions from side income. These may include a self-employment health insurance deduction, a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) or other qualified retirement plan. Side income is also subject to self-employment tax, but there may be a partial self-employment tax deduction.

The estimator tool has several user-friendly features. It uses plain language, permits users to target a specific refund amount, includes a progress tracker and shows the taxable portion of Social Security benefits. Now is an ideal time for this withholding checkup because taxpayers can adjust their withholding over the last three months of the year. By withholding the correct amount, taxpayers may avoid either a large refund (which is essentially an interest-free loan to the federal government) or a shortfall in payments that may result in a tax under-withholding penalty. The estimator has links to IRS Form W-4 to change or update withholding amounts.

Ps: Remember the COS Endowment Fund is a 501(c3) organization and you may have opportunities to lower your taxes by an “Over and Above” gift to this Fund