A new Foundation membership level was approved at the annual meeting of the Executive Council of the Freedom From Religion Foundation on Oct. 6, 2006.
It’s a trifle tongue-in-cheek,” said Foundation co-president Dan Barker, “but we’re calling it an After-Life Membership at the $5,000.00 level, guaranteed to see you through purgatory!”
The category was added after several Lifetime Members had requested that the Foundation offer a category option for those who might be willing to give more than $1,000 for membership. A Lifetime Member may still become an “After-Life” Member, or anyone wishing to be so generous that their donation will live after them may join or renew at the $5,000.00 level.
Current memberships in the Foundation, which include 10 issues a year of the newspaper Freethought Today, are: $40 – Individual; $50 – Household; $75 – Gung-ho; $100 – Sustaining; $500 – Sponsoring, and $1,000.00 – Individual Lifetime. All dues and donations are tax-deductible.
Lifetime Memberships are announced in Freethought Today (unless the member specifies anonymity) and After-Life Memberships will also be announced. These are donations specifically earmarked as memberships or renewals that go into longterm savings.
Currently the Foundation has more than 550 Lifetime Members.
“We are grateful to all our members for supporting the work of the Foundation,” Dan added.
Donation Incentives for Senior Citizens
Congress passed the Pension Protection Act of 2006 in August, which changes how charitable donations are taxed.
Under the Act, taxpayers who are 70 1/2 years and older can transfer charitable donations from both their traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) without having to pay taxes on the withdrawal.
The transfer must be made directly from the IRA account to the qualifying charity.
IRA holders can take advantage of the new provision from now until Dec. 31, 2007.
Note: Taxpayers must choose between either paying no taxes on the withdrawal, or taking a tax deduction on the donation.
FFRF is a 501(c)3 educational charity.
