Donating appreciated stock that you've held for over a year could allow you to save up to 20% in capital gains taxes and potentially up to 37% in federal income taxes on the charitable donation value of your gift based on your tax bracket when itemizing deductions. To understand the full tax benefits of giving appreciated stock, including potential state tax savings, please consult with your tax professional for information about your personal tax implications.

If you received company-distributed stock as an employee and the trading window is not open, your brokerage will likely reject the transfer request. We highly advise you ask your company for the trading windows so you can give during those time periods, which are typically open quarterly for three to four weeks at a time.

You can give any publicly traded stock. By donating assets that have appreciated in value for more than one year, you are more likely to maximize the potential tax benefits of your gift.