Priests' Retirement

Giving back to those who have given throughout their lives

Our diocesan priests dedicate their entire careers serving parishes and the families within them. They do this as their vocation – willingly. They trust that God will provide for them in their later years. 

Your donation to this collection will help provide for the growing number of priests who are eligible for retirement today and in the future. Your gift ensures that they will be cared for in their retirement years.

Giving to the Diocese of Saginaw Priests’ Retirement Fund

• Special envelopes for this collection are included in your parish giving envelopes or at your parish
• You can donate via cash, check or credit card
• Please make checks payable to your parish

Click here to donate. or, call Geri Rudolf at 989-797-6679 or email her.

Other ways to give

Obtaining a matching gift – Double your gift to the Appeal

Matching gifts are corporate programs that enhance employees’ charitable donations. Organizations of all sizes may have matching gift programs.

As an employee, you will need to complete any forms from your employer. The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw cannot make a request for a matching gift.

Companies that offer matching gifts have their own specifications. Things to check when exploring your employer’s plan include:

• Minimums and maximums: This is in reference to your actual donation. For instance:
  • If the minimum employer matched amount is $25, a $15 donation from you will not be matched.
  • If the maximum employer match is $500, but you give $1,000, the company will match up to the maximum. This results in $1,500 for the priests’ retirement collection on your behalf.
• Match ratio: The match ratio defines how much a company will donate in relation to the original donation. For instance:
  • If the ratio is 1:1, the company will give the exact same amount as your donation. If it's 2:1, the company will give twice as much as your contribution. 
• Employee eligibility: The specifications of a matched gift may differ based on an employee's status. For instance:
  • A part-time employee may be eligible for a 1:1 match, while a full-time employee may be eligible for 2:1.
• Nonprofit eligibility: Sometimes, companies set parameters clarifying to what types of nonprofits they will match. For instance:
  • Some companies focus on philanthropic donations toward educational organizations or youth programs or environmental efforts.
• Deadlines: It is important to know your company’s deadline for requesting matching gifts.
  • Some companies have specific deadlines at the end of the calendar year or near Tax Day in April. Others may allow an employee a set number of weeks or months after a donation is made to request a matching gift from the employer.

Stock donation gifts

By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are actually giving 20 percent more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation. This is because you will be avoiding capital gains taxes. The maximum federal capital gains tax rate is 20 percent on long-term holdings.

Donated stock is shares in a corporation that have been donated to a charitable entity, such as the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. As the donor, you can then take a tax deduction in the amount of the fair value of the stock on the date of donation. 

If you are interested in making a gift of stock, you or your broker can contact the diocesan stewardship and development department at 989-797-6679 for more detailed instructions.

Qualified charitable distribution gifts

A qualified charitable distribution is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA to a qualified non-profit such as the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. Qualified charitable distributions can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions for the year.
While many IRAs (traditional, rollover and inherited) are eligible for qualified charitable distribution gifts there are some requirements:

• You must be 70½ or older to be eligible to make a qualified charitable distribution.
• Qualified charitable distributions are limited to the amount that would otherwise be taxed as ordinary income. This excludes non-deductible contributions.
• The maximum annual amount that can qualify for a qualified charitable distribution is $100,000. This applies to the sum of qualified charitable distributions made to one or more non-profits in a calendar year.
• For a qualified minimum distribution to count towards your current year's required minimum distribution, the funds must come out of your IRA by established deadlines. Most required minimum distribution deadlines are December 31.

How the fund works

Gifts to the Priests’ Retirement Fund go directly to the priests’ pension plan, where it is invested and held in a trust account. The pension plan provides for the monthly pension and medical benefits of the currently retired diocesan priests. The account also will fund the retirement of priests who actively serve the diocese now.