Appreciated Property

Examples of appreciated property include stocks and other securities, real estate, and personal property—such as art, antiques, rare books, and coins. Tax benefits may include the following:

• For commonly traded stocks and securities held for more than one year, the charitable deduction is the current fair market value.
• For real estate or closely kept stock held for more than one year, the charitable deduction is the current fair market value as determined by an appraisal. The deductible amount is up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income; a deduction in excess of that percentage can be carried over for five years.