Your tithes and offerings fund the church's ongoing ministry and operating budget. Over and Above gifts are separate, optional gifts set aside specifically to retire the building debt — they don't affect or replace your regular giving.

No — there's no minimum. Every gift, large or small, moves us closer to the goal, and gifts add up faster than most people expect once interest is included.

Yes. Recurring gifts (monthly, biweekly, etc.) are one of the most effective ways to help, since they build steadily and start earning interest sooner. You can set up or adjust a recurring Over and Above gift through the “Give” section below.

Gifts to Hunt Valley Baptist Church are generally tax-deductible as charitable contributions if you itemize deductions on your federal tax return. The church issues an annual giving statement documenting your total contributions for tax purposes. Because everyone's tax situation is different, we recommend confirming the details with your tax preparer or CPA.

If you take the standard deduction, a cash gift generally won't reduce your taxable income directly. However, if you're 70½ or older, giving directly from an IRA (see “Qualified Charitable Distributions” below) can lower your taxable income even without itemizing.

If you're 70½ or older and have a traditional IRA, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) — a gift transferred directly from your IRA to the church. For 2026, the IRS allows individuals to give up to $111,000 this way ($222,000 for married couples who each have their own IRA). A QCD is excluded from your taxable income for the year, and if you're 73 or older and subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs), it can count toward satisfying that year's RMD. Because it lowers your reported income rather than just adding a deduction, a QCD can be a tax-smart way to give — even if you don't itemize.

Contact your IRA custodian (the bank or brokerage holding your IRA) and request a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” made payable directly to Hunt Valley Baptist Church Inc. The funds must transfer directly from your IRA to the church — money that passes through your personal bank account first does not qualify as a QCD. Please also let the church office know a QCD is on its way so we can properly credit it to your giving record.

Reach out to us — we're glad to walk through the logistics with you. For the tax implications specific to your situation, we always recommend also checking with your own CPA or financial advisor.