Donor Stories

Learn how others have made a big impact through their generous acts of giving.

Gift in a will
Gift in a will
Mary has left a gift in her will to Oakland Symphony as a tribute to her mother.
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Make Oakland Symphony a beneficiary of your IRA
Make Oakland Symphony a beneficiary of your IRA
Linda and her late husband Robert were longtime supporters of Oakland Symphony. Recently, Linda's children encouraged...
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Avoid taxes by giving directly from your IRA
Avoid taxes by giving directly from your IRA
Patricia makes several donations to charity each year. She noticed her taxes increasing and was concerned about how she could continue making charitable gifts.
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How to avoid capital gains tax on the sale of real estate
How to avoid capital gains tax on the sale of real estate
Michael and Susan purchased land outside of town. Development over the years has significantly increased the value of their land.
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Avoid capital gains tax on the sale of stock and other securities
Avoid capital gains tax on the sale of stock and other securities
David and Barbara are nearing retirement. They have built a sizable portfolio with investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and index funds.
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Endow your annual gift
Endow your annual gift
Karen and Bill love to volunteer and are major donors to many charities. They became concerned about how charities would replace their donations when they pass away.
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Avoid capital gains tax on the sale of stock
Avoid capital gains tax on the sale of stock
Tony and Tim purchased stock in a small medical device company several years ago. The company has done well.
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The Retirement Trust
The Retirement Trust
Sandra grew up on a farm. When her parents passed away, she and her husband Bill inherited the farm.
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It's smart, easy, and tax-wise to give from your IRA
It's smart, easy, and tax-wise to give from your IRA
Charles and Nancy are retired school teachers. They believe music transforms the lives of young people. They wanted to increase their donations to Oakland Symphony and decrease their taxes.
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Turn property into income
Turn property into income
Mark and Donna lived in the same home for 40 years. When Mark passed away, Donna found it difficult to take care of the house and yard by herself.
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Part Gift and Part Sale
Part Gift and Part Sale
Alice and Debbie bought property on a lake. They planned to build a second home there to spend their summers.
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Use a gift before year-end to offset a large tax bill
Use a gift before year-end to offset a large tax bill
Carol and Gary were shocked when they saw the capital gains tax bill they would have to pay when they sold stock they had inherited.
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Gift of a Bank Account (POD)
Gift of a Bank Account (POD)
John makes regular donations to Oakland Symphony.
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Transferable on Death (TOD) Gifts
Transferable on Death (TOD) Gifts
Steven and Debra wanted to leave a gift in their will to Oakland Symphony.
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A gift in a will to protect Oakland Symphony for future generations
A gift in a will to protect Oakland Symphony for future generations
Ron and Cynthia have left a gift in their will to ensure Oakland Symphony keeps playing well into the future.
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What will you do with your unspent retirement savings?
What will you do with your unspent retirement savings?
Don and Kathleen were retired engineers with two adult children. They owned a home, stocks, and IRAs.
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A Bequest to Save Taxes
A Bequest to Save Taxes
Paul recently became a widower. His wife was the person who introduced him to classical music. To honor her, Paul is leaving a gift to Oakland Symphony from his estate.
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Leading for the Future
Leading for the Future
Keith and Tina spent many years volunteering and supporting their favorite charity. They wanted to give back in a way that would help fulfill its mission.
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Give it twice trust
Give it twice trust
When George and Judy were planning their will, they wanted to share their assets with their children equally. But they were concerned that their youngest son would not be able to handle a large, lump sum inheritance.
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Providing for our children's future
Providing for our children's future
Tom and Heidi worked hard for many years building their nest egg for retirement.
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IRA Rollover: A gift with substantial tax savings
IRA Rollover: A gift with substantial tax savings
Jeff was a retired attorney with a significant IRA and substantial income from investments. He made donations from his IRA several times in recent years.
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A gift of insurance in a will
A gift of insurance in a will
Ed and Cheryl purchased a life insurance policy many years ago to create security for their children's future.
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Have your cake and eat it too by creating a charitable remainder trust in your will
Have your cake and eat it too by creating a charitable remainder trust in your will
Tim and Margaret wanted to give their estate to family and support causes they care about.
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Avoiding Tax on the sale of a business
Avoiding Tax on the sale of a business
Ed founded a small technology company 35 years ago. When he turned 65, he started thinking about selling his business.
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Combine your giving today with a gift in your will
Combine your giving today with a gift in your will
Stephen and his wife Janet wanted to support Oakland Symphony with a major gift of $100,000. They wanted to spread this gift out over several years starting with a gift of $25,000.
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Gifts of Mineral Interests
Gifts of Mineral Interests
James and Linda owned a 250-acre ranch when they retired and moved to a retirement community.
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Take care of a loved one with special needs and make a gift
Take care of a loved one with special needs and make a gift
Dennis is a successful business owner. His younger brother, Larry, was born with special needs. Dennis has supported Larry for the past ten years, including paying for an adult care facility.
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