Gifts of Money
Besides giving, you can encourage others to give
Rejoicing (Artist: T.Sharp)
Our members and sympathisers have sent some unusual greetings to their friends and acquaintainces on milestone dates like 50th birthday, 40th year of service or 25th marriage anniversary. Not the familiar message of felicitations, but instead the address of Tibetfreunde attached to a request for a gift of money
Our society Tibetfreunde is very thankful for any initiative of this kind. Of course we reply with thanks to the giver, and we also give the instigator a list of givers procured, with or without the amounts shown à discrétion
The message of greetings can be printed on a set of bank pay-in slips, for example “Ueli Wettermann 50 Today”
If you decide to surprise your friends in this way, please contact Gaby Taureg gaby@oldtibetfreunde.interweavers.ch and she will get back to you as quickly as possible to agree
- the text desired
- the number of pay-in slips
- preprinted or not
We have heard tell of a variation on the theme: a sponsor stopped giving presents at Christmas and asked her relations and friends to sponsor an aged and needy Tibetan refugee instead of making presents to herself
Her letter reads, “It is difficult to think of a present which does justice to my thankfulness for your friendship, friendship indeed which you have given me all the year round. This year I send to each of you as a present a window on a short passage in one year of the life of the Tibetan Tsewang. He . . . . ”
Arrangements on Decease
A decease may be marked with donation to Tibetfreunde instead of flowers or wreaths, on the request of the deceased or of the bereaved
Tibetfreunde naturally send an expression of thanks to the givers
The bereaved need to know who accordingly donated. Purpose and occasion of the gift need to be on each red pay-in slip in order for the gift to be correctly attributed and assigned
Legacies
The societal loosening of family ties together with the need to use resources meaningfully are increasingly reflected in legacies to institutions for aid and welfare. Bequests and especially large bequests need to be planned in good time
Although a revocable handwritten testament which is marked with date and place of signature is sufficient in law, it can be worth obtaining the assistance of a lawyer or a notary
It is also to be recommended that the testator contact the beneficiary organisation in person in order to predefine the use of the legacy
Tax Exemption
The Tibetfreunde society is in accordance with a declaration of 12 February 1991 by the Canton of Bern Tax Office recognised as a non-profit aid organisation within the meaning of Article 23 Paragraph 1 Part 9 of the Law on Direct State and Communal Tax (StG) and of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Part 5 of the Law on Inheritance Tax and Tax on Gifts (ESchG) and is therefore exempt from direct state and commune tax, inheritance tax and tax on gifts
For the tax-free minima and maxima of gifts and covenants within your Canton of residence, please consult internet pages: http://www.spendenspiegel.ch/sp2007/html/de/seiten/steuer.htm We can on request issue a certificate for gifts and covenanted payments made to our Society.
