Simply defined, a charitable remainder trust allows you to transfer cash or assets to the trust — from which you may receive income for life or, if you prefer, a fixed term not to exceed 20 years. The income can be paid over your life, your spouse’s life and even the lives of your children and grandchildren. (The guidelines are outlined in IRS code section 664.) In essence, the trust takes advantage of the tax-exempt status of the nonprofit it benefits. Sometimes, giving an asset to charity doesn’t mean you can no longer enjoy benefits from it. Yes, it’s true….
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The idea of giving to charity would seem to be a simple, but the simple methods aren’t always the best ones. Sometimes a bit of financial finesse can go a long way, helping both your charity of choice and your own finances. I refer to that as “doing well by doing good.” If you want to be a tax-savvy philanthropist, consider using a time-honored strategy known as a “charitable remainder trust” (CRT). The Times-Herald Record recently offered a crash course in their article, “Protecting Your Future: Trust option for leaving assets to charity.” A CRT allows you to give assets…
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If you’re feeling charitable this holiday season, I certainly encourage you to follow those passions and make heart-felt charitable donations. However, while you certainly want to be cheerful giver, there’s no reason you shouldn’t also be a tax-savvy one! There are a number of ways to accomplish a strategy to both support worthy causes, and reduce your tax-bite at the same time. In fact, MarketWatch recently offered a concise list of five tax-savvy strategies: 1. Donor-Advised Funds: A donor-advised fund is like your own private foundation, without the onerous administrative costs or duties. Although you lose final say in the…
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