FAQs & Resources
CGA rate changes
Some thoughts about why you shouldn't promote them or have a "fire sale"
Suggested payment rates for charitable gift annuities will decline effective February 1st. Many fundraisers are viewing the drop as a marketing opportunity – a chance to prod their prospects into locking in current higher rates by making a gift now.
There's some debate about whether the decline in CGA rates should be marketed at all. Some professionals whose opinions we respect offer three reasons not to mention it to your prospects:
- The rate differential is small, and the resulting drop in annual payments for most gift annuities in the $10,000 - $25,000 range will be insignificant. Work your prospects up with scare headlines, then tell them that unless they act today they stand to lose, umm, $150 or so in annual payments – and your sales pitch will underwhelm a lot of them.
- You may plant the idea in prospects' minds that after February 1st, gift annuities will no longer be a worthwhile gift plan.
- You'll get better results by focusing positively on gift annuities as the solution to current low rates of return and declining stock values.