Overflow simplifies the stock donation process, allowing you to contribute your shares seamlessly through our platform.
Donating stock to your favorite nonprofit is one of the most tax-efficient ways to give. However, the process can be cumbersome, requiring back-and-forth communication with your brokerage, and has traditionally involved outdated paper forms sent via mail. Thankfully, there’s a better way.
Check out this video walkthrough of the stock donation process:
Stock Processing Options
🔗 Which Brokerages Can I Use to Donate Stocks?
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"I'm an individual donor": This option is for donors who prefer Overflow's Payment Operations team to handle the Transfer of Assets request to their brokerage, on their behalf.
- Please note that certain brokerages may require your signature to be collected via DocuSign if the request is not initiated by a Financial Advisor.
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"I'm a financial advisor": This option is intended for Financial Advisors who will facilitate the stock transfer, on behalf of the donor.*
- Upon submission of the request, the FA will immediately receive the recipient brokerage's information (DTC Transfer instructions), along with a follow-up email from our Payment Operations team to review the next steps.
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"I want the DTC information" — Financial Advisors should NOT choose this option: This option is intended for donors who do not have a Financial Advisor, but prefer to process the stock transfer independently.*
- Highly recommended for certain brokerages, such as E*TRADE Securities, LLC.
- Upon submission of the request, donors will immediately receive the recipient brokerage's information (DTC Transfer instructions), along with a follow-up email from our Payment Operations team to review the next steps.
*The stock ticker(s) and the number of shares being donated must be included when submitting the stock gift request. (If the final quantity hasn't been determined, please provide an estimate. It can be adjusted later if needed.)
"I'm an Individual Donor"
Below, we’ll walk you through the steps to initiate a stock gift request for Overflow to process on your behalf.
Skip to Step: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
🔑 Step 1: Click the "Donate Stock" button on your organization's Overflow donation page.
- This will direct you to a page with the different stock processing options.
- Please select the "I'm an individual donor" option.
🔑 Step 2: Log in using your phone number or email address.
- Similar to accessing your Donor Profile, you will receive a one-time verification code to login. (You will never need to create a password!)
- 👉🏽 If this is your first time donating through Overflow, you'll be prompted to complete your personal details to set up your Donor Profile.
- This information must match the details on file with your brokerage.
- To make future donations easier, any brokerage accounts you've used before will be automatically saved to your Donor Profile. You only need to link your account once, and it will be available the next time you donate!
🔑 Step 3: Search for and select the brokerage account you want to use for your donation.
- Overflow supports most major brokerages that support DTC transfers. (You can view the complete list here.)
- If your brokerage is not listed in the dropdown menu, please select "I have a different brokerage."
- While Overflow does not have a direct connection to your brokerage, you can still donate stock through our platform. However, you will not be prompted to log in to your brokerage account.
- Our Stock Operations team will likely reach out to you to discuss any brokerage-specific requirements. 📧
🔑 Step 4: Connect to your brokerage via Yodlee.
- After selecting your brokerage, you will link your accounts through Yodlee, a secure provider that manages the brokerage authentication process.
- It allows donors to view their brokerage accounts and securities, but their credentials are not shared with or stored by Overflow.
- It allows donors to view their brokerage accounts and securities, but their credentials are not shared with or stored by Overflow.
- More than 600 companies, including trusted names like PayPal and Amazon, use Yodlee to connect their clients' accounts.
- 🔒 Learn how Overflow handles security and privacy here.
- It allows donors to view their brokerage accounts and securities, but their credentials are not shared with or stored by Overflow.
🔑 Step 5: View and select your assets to donate.
- Eligible assets for donation include publicly traded securities, such as common stock, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and bonds, as well as vested ESPPs, RSUs, and mutual funds.
- 👉🏽 Currently, we only allow donors to indicate one purchase date per donation. If you wish to donate from multiple lots, please submit each lot separately with its own purchase date.
- 👉🏽 If you wish to donate from multiple RSU grants, please submit donations for each grant separately.
- To donate assets, click the plus (➕) icon next to each ticker symbol you wish to contribute. After entering the quantity, the estimated value will appear at the bottom of the screen.
- Overflow can help you identify the best stocks to donate by sorting them from most to least appreciated. This makes it easier for you to make a meaningful impact with your donation. 🙌🏽
- You can sort your assets either alphabetically or by estimated market price.
🔑 Step 6: A few more details...
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- Designation — Fund or sub-fund you would like to designate.
- Identity — Anonymous gifts will not be publicly acknowledged by your organization, aside from your acknowledgement letter)
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Employee Stock — Indicate which company you are currently employed by and confirm that your trading window is open.
- If you wish to donate Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), you will be prompted to enter your grant information. If the RSU fields do not appear, please email support@overflow.co:
- Grant Date
- Grant Number
- Vest Date
- Estimated Cost Basis
- If you wish to donate Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), you will be prompted to enter your grant information. If the RSU fields do not appear, please email support@overflow.co:
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Accounting Method — The default for all brokerages is FIFO. Alternatively, you can select LIFO, Purchase Date, or Cost Basis.
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Account Type — The most common options are Individual or Joint accounts.
- ✍🏽 Joint accounts require signatures from both account holders.
- 🌴 For retirement accounts, we recommend consulting with a Financial Advisor or tax professional to determine the most beneficial strategy for your circumstances.
- If you're age 70½ or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your Traditional IRA to a charity.
- However, Roth IRAs typically do not allow QCDs.
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Signature(s) — Your signature(s) must match what is on file with your brokerage.
- 🔏 Please note that certain brokerages, such as Fidelity, E*TRADE, and self-managed Merrill Lynch accounts, require an additional signature via DocuSign. (This will be requested separately through email.)
- 🔏 Please note that certain brokerages, such as Fidelity, E*TRADE, and self-managed Merrill Lynch accounts, require an additional signature via DocuSign. (This will be requested separately through email.)
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Account Type — The most common options are Individual or Joint accounts.
🔑 Step 7: Give!
After reviewing your charitable transfer request, click "Continue" to submit your donation. Our Stock Operations Team will process it to your brokerage on the same or next business day!