The year that was

Say what you will about 2020—it certainly was a memorable year. As I write this, the first COVID-19 vaccines were given in the U.S. and the electorate made the 2020 election official. It’s a newsworthy day in a newsworthy year. Of course, in a year that was so universally challenging, some have had their own personal tragedies and some have even had a few positives in the year. Early on in the pandemic, a friend said off-handedly, “2020 is the year that we all washed our groceries.” I chuckled and thought “well, that’s one way to look at it.” Personally speaking, it’s also the year that I made my pithiest comments while I was on mute. It’s the year that I wore flip flops every day and wondered if my feet would ever accept real shoes again. It’s the year that I built my fashionable collection of face masks. It’s the year that looking like a bank robber became the norm. It’s the year that I fact-checked everything and everyone. It’s the year that I actually started to miss going to the gym regularly. It’s the year that I still didn’t bake sourdough bread or start a podcast. It’s the year that I made going to the grocery store a big event. The list goes on and on. More than anything, 2020 is the year that I counted my blessings repeatedly. I hope that you had some bright lights in a dim year and that we all enter 2021 with bushels of hope and understanding for each other. Happy and healthy holidays to everyone!

Stay safe and healthy,

Tracy Jacobs

Zoom lectures and workshops, January and February 2021

Free to Osher members. Pre-registration required.

Join us in January and February for a series of Zoom lectures and workshops.

Over the past couple of years, I would often talk about how I thought the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University could expand our horizons by offering some courses and lectures online as part of our curriculum. The conversations about distance learning would always start with “One day…”—envisioning some undefined future when we would magically learn about the best eLearning modes and even more magically, implement them. Turns out, the future is now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's a great time to consider charitable giving before the end of the tax year. We are incredibly thankful to all of you who've already donated to Osher at Towson University!

Top reasons to give to the Osher Excellence Fund

• Your tax-deductible gift to Osher at Towson University assists with technology upgrades.
• Your gift helps us to attract and retain excellent instructors.
• Your gift enables us to keep tuition fees affordable.
• Your gift allows us to remain sustainable.
• Your gift shows that quality lifelong learning programming is a valued part of your life.

Ways to make a donation to the Osher Excellence Fund

1. Make check payable to Towson University Foundation, Inc. and write “Osher Excellence Fund #11004” on the memo line of the check and mail to:

Towson University Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 17165
Baltimore, MD 21297-0219

2. Make your donation to the Osher Excellence Fund online here and pay with a credit card. Receipts for credit card gifts are issued based on the date the charge hits your credit card.
3. To gift mutual funds or stocks, please contact Kathleen Hider at khider@towson.edu or 410-704-6287.

Gifts made to Osher at Towson University that are postmarked by December 31, 2020 will be tax-deductible for the 2020 tax year. See below to find out how the CARES Act may benefit you this year.

In March of this year, the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) was passed in response to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it covered a number of issues, there were three key provisions of the CARES Act that could be beneficial to anyone considering or planning to make a gift before year-end.

• If you take the standard deduction, the CARES Act allows a one-time charitable deduction for up to $300. This is an above the line deduction, thus reducing your total taxable income.
• For those who do itemize their deductions, the new law also allows for cash contributions to qualified charities, like Osher at Towson University, to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.
• Your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) was temporarily suspended for the 2020 tax year. Despite the RMD suspension, you can still make a gift from your IRA or name Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University as a beneficiary.

We are so grateful for your continued kindness and support during these unusual times. If you have any questions regarding the CARES Act, please contact your financial advisor. Also, feel free to contact Kathleen Hider at khider@towson.edu or 410-704-6287 for additional information.

In this new section of our newsletter, we remember Osher members that have passed away recently. While we work hard to provide accurate updates, please let us know if you are aware of an Osher friend’s passing by contacting osher@towson.edu.

• Barbara Herman
• Ronald Kahn
• Louise Reilly
• Harold Resnick