​Making Your Pledge Payments

After careful reflection and discernment, you have decided to make a pledge to Incarnation for the coming calendar year; you have determined what amount you can give; and you have filled out and submitted your pledge card. Wonderful! Now you have to determine how you want to make your pledge payments. There are several options.

Lump Sum or Installments. You can pay the entire pledge in one lump sum any time during the calendar year. Or you can pay it in installments over the course of the year. For example, if you pledge $1,200 for the year, you can pay $100 per month. Please plan to complete your pledge payment in full before the end of calendar year 2024.

Credit Card Payments. You can pay your pledge by credit card; however, when you pay by credit card, the parish has to pay approximately 2 to 3% in credit card fees. For example, if your pledge payment is $1,200, Incarnation will pay approximately $24 to $36 in credit card fees. If you wish, when making your credit card payment, you can tack on 2-3% to cover the fees.

Online Payments on the Parish Website. You also can pay online at www.incarnationsantarosa.org/give. Click on “Give Now”. Select “Give to 2024 Pledge”. You can set up a one-time payment or a recurring payment. You can pay by credit card or bank transfer. Online payments are processed through a system called “Breeze,” which charges a 2 to 3% processing fee for your payment, whether you pay by credit card or bank transfer. You may tack on 2-3% to cover fees if you wish.

Online Payments through your Bank. Many banks provide an online bill pay feature. If you have this feature, you should be able to add Incarnation as a payee, and then you can arrange a lump sum payment or recurring payments. Check with your bank for details. In most cases, when you use your bank’s online bill pay feature, the bank will mail a physical check to Incarnation within 5 to 7 business days.

Transferring Shares of Stock or Other Assets. Some parishioners will want to transfer shares of stock or other assets to the parish, which may provide additional income tax savings. But first, consult with your tax preparer or financial advisor to see if this strategy makes sense for you, given your financial circumstances. We usually can accommodate such a transfer, but it requires special arrangements. Please contact a member of the Development Committee.

Pay from the Required Minimum Distribution (“RMD”) of your Retirement Plan. If you have a 401(k) Plan or an Individual Retirement Account which is subject to RMDs, you can satisfy all or part of your pledge from your RMDs. A distribution from your RMDs to Incarnation should be treated as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”). This may confer some income tax benefits. Consult with your tax preparer or financial advisor for details. You will have to make arrangements through the financial institution which serves as your retirement plan custodian.

Questions? Come to the Town Hall meeting following the 10:15 am service on Sunday October 29th. You also are welcome to stop by our pledge table during the coffee hour following the Sunday 10:15 am service, any Sunday through November 19th. Alternatively, feel free to contact any of the members of the Development Committee directly: Inese Heinzel, Chair, at [email protected], Bill Glenn at [email protected], or Joe Ferrucci at [email protected].

Thank you for your pledge!