Doing Good

Osher is thankful for our dedicated volunteers.

While I hope that you are all doing well, I know that many of you are also doing good—helping out when and where you can. Each semester, our program is able to succeed because we have amazing volunteers who help us in so many ways. Thank you, Osher volunteers! I know that so many of our members, whether they volunteer at Osher or not, make it a point to volunteer in order to give back to their communities and to support the causes that are meaningful to them. One of our Osher members, Tia Dicker, has volunteered at Osher for years on the Hospitality Committee and otherwise. I knew that she also volunteers at Meals on Wheels, but I was impressed to learn that she has done so for 40 years! Others of you have volunteered with food pantries and soup kitchens, literacy programs, blood drives, voter registration, and more. There are many reasons why people volunteer. It’s rarely for the accolades but the rewards are still great—the chance to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Let’s celebrate all of the great volunteers out there each and every day but especially during National Volunteer Week (April 19–25, 2020) which is right around the corner. You may have cut back on volunteer activities in recent days and that’s okay. There are other ways to support the organizations and causes that you value. The world has changed and it’s important to stay well in order to do good down the road.

Stay safe and healthy,

Tracy Jacobs

We are lucky enough to work with over 80 dedicated volunteers each semester, including three volunteers who all happen to have the same first name. Meet Anne Graham, Annie Jamison, and Anne Reid and learn what volunteerism means to each of them. MORE

The new CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) was signed March 27 and is designed to provide emergency assistance for individuals, families and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a couple provisions that may affect you and your charitable goals.

Required minimum distributions suspended

The new law temporarily suspends the requirements for required minimum distributions (RMD) for the 2020 tax year. This probably comes as a relief to many of you who would have had to withdraw from your retirement accounts. Many of our donors use their RMD to make a gift from their IRA. Despite the RMD suspension, remember that if you are 70½ or older, you can still make a gift from your IRA or name Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University as a beneficiary.

New charitable deduction for 2020

The CARES Act allows taxpayers to take a charitable deduction of up to $300 ($600 for married couples) for those who take the standard deduction. For those who do itemize their deductions, the new law also allows for cash contributions to qualified charities like, Towson University, to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.

We are deeply grateful for your continued kindness and support during this difficult time. If you have any questions regarding the new CARES act please contact your financial advisor. Also, feel free to contact Kathleen Hider at khider@towson.edu or 410-704-6287 to discuss how your gift can help further our mission.