What’s a “Charitable Gift Annuity”?

Scripture tells us, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19–20). That’s why at Answers in Genesis we are, as God is blessing, investing in the hearts and lives of others for eternity. By spreading the message of the gospel, creation, and biblical authority, we are having an eternal impact in the lives of others around the world. We often receive testimonies from people all over the world—places like the Philippines, France, or even Madagascar—who have been touched and challenged by AiG. By God’s grace and the generosity of our faithful supporters, we are laying a treasure up in heaven that will last for all eternity, and we invite you to be a part of it.

Now, AiG has several of what are called planned giving opportunities that allow you to join with us in reaching others with the gospel and the message of biblical authority. One of these is a charitable gift annuity, which is a contract under which AiG would agree to pay a fixed amount of money to you for the rest of your life, in exchange for a transfer of cash or other assets to our organization. Many people get tired of having to watch the stock market and real estate prices rise and fall, and would rather receive a fixed amount of money as a return on their investment. Well, John Pence, our director of planned giving services, has listed four reasons why he encourages people to join in God’s work through AiG in this way:

1. You receive fixed payments to you or another annuitant you designate for life.
2. You receive a charitable income tax deduction for the charitable gift portion of the annuity.
3. You can benefit from payments that may be partially tax-free.
4. You get to further the work of Answers in Genesis and help more people to hear the good news of the gospel and the message of biblical authority.

Here’s how it works: you transfer cash or other assets to Answers in Genesis and, in exchange, we promise to pay fixed payments to you for life. This guaranteed payment can be quite high, depending on your age, and a portion of each payment may even be tax-free. You also receive a charitable income tax deduction for the gift portion of the annuity. So you receive regular payments and you get the satisfaction of knowing that you are making a difference for eternity.

You can learn more about planning giving opportunities at GenesisGift.org.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.