In Uncertain Times, Donors Hold Back

Even people who are looking at their withered stock portfolios in dismay may be able to give. Say an investor paid $70,000 for 1,000 shares of stock. The shares are now trading at just above $2. She could sell the shares, donate the proceeds to charity and have a capital loss of $68,000 to use this year or she could use part this year, plus use $3,000 against ordinary income and carry the balance forward, shielding future capital gains from taxation.