By PHIL OSBORNE

Danville Schools Education Foundation

As we come closer to year’s end, I wanted to say “thank you” to a few folks for making my organizational year with the Danville Schools Foundation a success, which also will lay the groundwork for 2019.

First, to the incredible Board of Directors who had the confidence in me to get things rolling this year. You have met several of them in previous columns; the rest will be included in future articles.

Thanks also to the Danville Board of Education members who have been supportive of our efforts. Special thanks for the service of Paige Matthews and Susan Matherly, who chose not to seek reelection. And welcome to Glenn Ball and Paul Smiley, who will assume their offices next month. I look forward to working with you both.

Thanks to the staff at central office and the administrators at the four schools, who have helped me in so many ways. And to the volunteers who have given of time, energy and talent for foundation activities, I appreciate your efforts — especially that of Kathy Belcher for her work in helping get me acclimated to Foundation events.

There are dozens more and I would list them all, but there is an important reminder for donors before the end of the year.

Let me make it perfectly clear that I am not a financial planner or advisor, but if you have one, this may be a topic to bring up with him or her.

We all know the stock market has been crazy recently with a series of ups and downs that would rival a King’s Island roller coaster. Despite that, the market is still near all-time highs, which means if you own appreciated stock and want to dodge some potential capital gains issues, that stock can be donated to a charity, and I hope you might consider the Danville Schools Foundation.

I’m not singling out Facebook, but since virtually everyone in the world knows what it is, let’s use it as an example. In August of 2012, Facebook shares were selling for $19.69. It closed last Friday at $144.06. If you bought 100 shares of that stock in 2012, it would have set you back roughly $2,000. That same 100 shares would now be worth almost $14,500. Your gain would be $12,500 in round numbers.

Let’s say you sold those shares this week and assume that the prices didn’t change, you would pay a 15-percent tax on that $12,500, or $1,875.

Now let’s say you donated 25 shares of that stock to us. You would get a charitable deduction on the value of the stock as one benefit. Your tax liability would be reduced to $1,406. Of course, some of your profit is a little lower as well, but the foundation would net $3,600 to continue its work in the coming year and you would still have 75 shares of stock to continue next year’s rollercoaster ride.

Clear as mud, right? That’s why you need to see your financial planner if for nothing else than to check my math.

Thanks for a great year. Happy holidays!

Phil Osborne is executive director of the Danville Schools Education Foundation. Email him with questions about the foundation at posborne@danvilleschoolsfoundation.org.