What are the different ways to contribute to the Annual Fund?
There are several ways to give to the Annual Fund. You can make donations online, set up and automatic draft from your checking account, transfer stocks or participate in the American Express Giving Program. You can also send in your donation by mail. For more information, please use the links below.
Online Donations - click here
Automatic Bank Draft - find out more here
Stock Transfers - find out more here

What does the Annual Fund support?
The Annual Fund directly supports the immediate needs of the School, unlike the Endowment Fund, which ensures a healthy future for Baylor School. Unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund are essential to maintaining small class sizes, keeping tuition affordable by granting financial aid and the ability to offer our faculty competitive salaries. These gifts pay for needs not covered by tuition or endowment income and are 6% of the operating budget. .

Is it true that tuition cannot cover the daily needs of the school?
Full tuition pays for only about 70% of the actual cost of educating a Baylor student. The financial model that underpins the school’s operation depends on three principal sources of revenue: endowment income, tuition revenue and the philanthropy of alumni, parents and friends. Supporting the Annual Fund is a vital component of that financial equation.

Paying tuition is already a lot for us, why would my donation even matter?
No matter how small a gift is, it's important. It represents a decision. Smaller gifts are often catalysts for larger gifts, and the Annual Fund is the perfect place to put gifts of all sizes to work by pooling them during the fiscal year. When more people give, it shows they care about Baylor’s future, know the institution is well run, and know their contribution is being used thoughtfully.

Why is high participation important?
Participation is important because it shows that those who know Baylor best care about its future, and that's why the percentage of alumni, parents and friends who give to the school is one of the factors considered by corporations, foundations, and ranking organizations, as well as being a clear measure of the effectiveness and success of an educational institution’s program.

FAQs About Planned Giving

Are there different ways to participate in Planned Giving?
There are three ways to make a planned gift to Baylor;

1. During your lifetime you can make an outright gift of cash, securities or other property (e.g., real estate, personal property).
2. Upon your death you can make a gift through your will or with a distribution from a retirement plan or life insurance policy. For more information, please see the planned giving portion of this website.
3. You also have the option of making a gift that returns lifetime income to you, your spouse, or other individuals, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust. For more information, please see the planned giving portion of this website.

What sort of assets can I use to make a gift?
Almost any type of asset can be used to help you make the gift you want to make. Cash, publicly traded securities or the balance of your retirement account are some examples of assets you may use. Other assets, such as real estate, closely held stock or artwork, can be very valuable, so long as the assets are related to the school mission, but they may be more complicated to administer, and must be reviewed by the school before accepting them as gifts.

What tax deduction will I receive for my planned gift?
It depends on the form your gift takes;

• Outright gifts to Baylor generate a full income-tax charitable deduction. Outright gifts of appreciated securities are deductible at fair market value, with no recognition of capital gains - a great tax benefit!
• Gifts of personal property, like art, books and collectibles are fully deductible so long as they are relevant to the school's mission. Baylor’s Development Office can advise you on this point.
• Bequests are exempt from estate tax, but do not generate a lifetime income tax deduction.
• Life insurance distributions are exempt from estate tax, but do not generate a lifetime income tax benefit unless Baylor is the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of the policy. In that case, you may deduct annual gifts that offset premium payments.
• Life income gifts, such as charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts allow a charitable deduction of the fair market value of the gift asset minus the present value of the income interest you retain.