Paths to Protection is a blog series exploring the many ways you can help create a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering. Each installment highlights a different way to give, so you can choose the path that’s right for you—and right for the animals you care about.
Donating stock is a smart and impactful way to protect animals and strengthen your charitable giving strategy. By contributing appreciated securities directly to World Animal Protection, you can unlock valuable tax benefits, avoid capital gains taxes, and increase the reach of your generosity—all while making a real difference for animals worldwide.
Amplify Your Giving
When you donate appreciated stock, you can often give more than if you sold the shares and donated the cash proceeds. By gifting stock that has increased significantly in value, you provide a larger contribution to protect animals without increasing your out-of-pocket costs.
Tax Advantages
If you’ve held your stock for more than one year, you may be eligible for a charitable tax deduction equal to the fair market value at the time of the donation. This deduction can help reduce your taxable income, potentially lowering your overall tax liability and freeing up more resources for the causes you care about.
Capital Gains Tax Savings
Selling appreciated stock yourself often triggers capital gains taxes. By donating the stock directly, you can potentially avoid those taxes entirely—allowing the full value of your investment to go toward creating a world where animals are safe, respected, and free from suffering. This can be especially beneficial if you hold stocks with significant appreciation or if you’re in a higher tax bracket.
Streamlined Process
We’ve partnered with FreeWill to make donating stock simple. Our free stock-giving tool can estimate your potential tax savings, provide our transfer details, and walk you through the necessary paperwork in just a few minutes.
Portfolio Diversification
If you have a concentrated position in a single stock, donating shares can help you rebalance your portfolio while also advancing your charitable goals. It’s a way to align your investment strategy with your commitment to protecting animals.
Donating Stock in 2025
The benefits of donating appreciated securities remain strong in 2025, and more investors are using stock gifts as part of their year-end tax planning. With markets seeing renewed volatility, donating stock can help you reduce exposure in overperforming assets while maximizing philanthropic impact. In addition, online tools and brokerage integrations make the process faster and more accessible than ever.
What’s New for 2025
As tax rules evolve, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for stock giving strategies. With higher standard deduction thresholds now in place—$15,750 for single filers and $31,500 for married couples—fewer donors are itemizing, which may affect how deductions play out at tax time. Looking ahead to 2026, new rules introduce a minimum 0.5% of a tax payer’s adjusted gross income AGI before itemized charitable deductions count and cap the tax benefit at 35%, down from the previous 37%. That means 2025 could be an ideal opportunity to donate appreciated stock—especially in larger amounts—to maximize your deduction before tighter limits take effect! Plus, donations of appreciated securities remain deductible up to 30% of your AGI, with excess eligible for carry-forward over the next five years. Before donating stock, please consult with a qualified financial advisor or tax professional for guidance based on your personal circumstances.
Donating stock is more than a financial transaction—it’s an opportunity to turn your investments into lasting change for animals. By leveraging the tax advantages and capital gains savings of stock giving, you can help ensure World Animal Protection continues to fight for a future free from cruelty and suffering.
Learn more about stock giving. You can also email our team.