The term “blended gift” generally refers to different ways individuals can make significant charitable gifts. As the baby boomers first began to approach the age range when most charitable gifts are planned and implemented, they were more inclined to structure larger charitable gifts differently from previous generations. They used “blended gifts” in an effort to provide both …Read More
By Jon Tidd Sometimes a charitable gift is too large to be fully deductible for the year in which it’s made. This is because the law imposes limits on the federal income tax charitable deduction. In this situation, the donor may be able to carry the excess part of the gift forward as a deduction …Read More
by: Barlow Mann The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to 2016 highs on April 14 and was within 2% of reaching an all-time record high. In 2015 the Dow was basically flat for the year and actually closed out with a small loss when compared to the close in 2014. Over the past 12 months, the …Read More
by Jon Tidd If the gift is still in the planning stage, the situation is salvageable. What usually works best is to arrange for the charity’s planned gift attorney to talk one on one with the donor’s attorney, so that the donor’s attorney is not embarrassed in front of his or her client. Attorneys tend …Read More
By Jon Tidd There’s an old refrain among development officers: “We’d never sue over a gift.” Which suggests not suing is simply a matter of policy. In some states in some situations, however, the law may require a charity to pursue legal recourse. For example, Donor pledges a large amount to Charity for the construction …Read More
By Barlow Mann U.S. Household wealth rose to an all-time record level of $86.8 trillion during the fourth quarter of 2015. The increase was driven by the rising value of corporate stock and real estate, according to the Federal Reserve. In spite of economic volatility since the …Read More
By Barlow Mann The likelihood of another recession is real, but the concerns may be overblown (see this CNN Money article from January 26, 2016). After the Great Recession (4th quarter 2007- spring 2009) a recovery began. It has been relatively weak and propped up by the Fed’s interest rate policy, which changed in December. …Read More
FACTS About 10 years ago, Donor set up a 10-year term charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) that was to make payments to Donor’s son. The payout period of the trust has just run its course, and the CRAT is about to distribute its assets to Charity. The trust agreement provides that the assets distributed to …Read More
Here we look at some gift annuity situations that went awry. Beginning with an important case that involved a flawed gift receipt. Case # 1: Donor transfers $25,000 to Charity to establish a gift annuity. Charity prepares a gift annuity agreement, which Donor signs, and subsequently begins making annuity payments to Donor. In due course, …Read More
Gift annuities are simple except when they’re not. Some more questions: Can a commercial annuity be swapped tax-free for a charitable gift annuity? Some donors and advisers think so, but the answer is no. The question arises because there’s a tax-free “1035 exchange,” which allows one commercial annuity to be swapped tax-free for another commercial …Read More