The Bible teaches that God is the owner of everything and the giver or all good gifts. All that we have has been given to us by him, including our money and possessions. Jesus taught that what we do with our money is an indication of what is in our hearts (Matthew 6:21), and Paul instructs us to give cheerfully, sacrificially, and regularly (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). When we give, we give back to God what he already owns. Our giving is an indication of our trust, discipleship, and commitment. Giving is an active expression of our faith and recognizes God as our true provider. It affirms our trust in his ability to supply all our needs, and allows us to partner with God in His work through our church and in the world.

Our preferred method for giving is to set up a recurring ACH gift via our website. This allows you to give regularly without incurring significant fees. If you need help setting up an ACH gift, please contact us.

Some people prefer to setup a recurring gift via sending a check from your bank. Most banks allow you to send recurring gifts online.

When you give via credit or debit card, Trinity incurs a fee of 2.15% + $0.30 per transaction. If everyone who gave via credit or debit card converted their giving to ACH, we could double our budget for children’s ministry!

Regular giving enables Trinity to have a solid financial foundation for carrying out our mission in San Luis Obispo. Monthly giving ensures that we can be a generous church all year long. We also know that, like most churches and non-profits, a significant portion of our annual income is received in the final month of the year. Thank you for your regular support for God’s work through Trinity.

We are grateful for the faithful and generous support of our Trinity congregation supporting the Lord’s work throughout the year. Like most churches and Christian ministries, a large percentage of our annual support is received in December. For many people, one of their traditions during this season is to give a financial gift as another way of celebrating the birth of our Savior. For some, this season is an opportunity to catch up on the giving they intended to do during the year. For others, end-of-year giving is part of their tax planning through the charitable tax deduction.

Whatever the reason, we encourage the Trinity family to consider a special gift to support our ministries as part of your year-end giving plans.

To assure that all contributions are properly recorded for tax purposes, please review the following guidance as you consider your year-end gift:

Gifts of Cash or Check

Gifts must be physically received at the church by December 31, or postmarked by that date, to be reported as 2023 contributions on your giving statement.

Gifts Online

For gifts made online through our website, you should allow at least a 2-day processing time if it is important for your gift to be reported as a contribution in 2023. While most credit and debit cards will usually process the same day, a gift online from your bank account will not process until the next banking day. Weekends or banking holidays may affect the processing so we suggest planning ahead if the tax deduction is important for you.

Gifts of Securities (Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds)

There are tax advantages available for a charitable donation of securities that have appreciated in value that can be beneficial for some as they plan their taxes at year-end. In order for such gifts to count for tax purposes in the right tax year, extra time and planning is needed. Although the process is not complicated, we are happy to help you with the details by contacting office@trinityslo.org.

Charitable IRA Rollover

A relatively new tax planning tool is the charitable IRA rollover, a special provision allowing donors aged 70-1/2 or older to make charitable gifts from Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets that are excluded from income and count toward their required minimum distribution (RMD). This may benefit those with significant assets in an IRA and have not satisfied their required minimum distribution for the year. The gifts must be transferred directly from the IRA provider to Trinity Presbyterian Church and meet certain other requirements. Since situations vary, we encourage you to consult your tax or financial advisor regarding retirement account gifts.

If we can answer any questions or provide more information about year-end giving at Trinity, please contact us at office@trinityslo.org or 805.471.9141.

It can help your consistency and faithfulness in giving. You can avoid the hassle of writing and remembering checks. You can prioritize giving in your budget. Through online giving you expedite your gift, simplify our accounting, and strengthen our base of regular support.

Online giving is less risky than handwritten checks. It cannot be lost, stolen or destroyed in the mail. It has an extremely high rate of accuracy and is easier for the church to process for accounting and bookkeeping purposes.

You may cancel online giving at any time.

Yes! Gifts of Securities and Charitable IRA Rollover are two non-cash ways to give.

Gifts of Securities (Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds)

There are tax advantages available for a charitable donation of securities that have appreciated in value that can be beneficial for some as they plan their taxes. In order for such gifts to count for tax purposes near the end of the year extra time and planning is needed. We are happy to help you with the details by contacting office@trinityslo.org.

Charitable IRA Rollover

A relatively new tax planning tool is the charitable IRA rollover, a special provision allowing donors age 70-1/2 or older to make charitable gifts from Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets that are excluded from income and count toward their required minimum distribution (RMD). This may benefit those with significant assets in an IRA and have not satisfied their required minimum distribution for the year. The gifts must be transferred directly from the IRA provider to Trinity Presbyterian Church and meet certain other requirements. Since situations vary, we encourage you to consult your tax or financial advisor regarding retirement account gifts.

Please contact us with your questions or call the church at 805.471.9141