On December 23, 2008, President Bush signed into law legislation that will waive the requirement that those age 70½ or older take Minimum Required Distributions (MRDs) from IRAs and other retirements plans this year. This was done to reduce selling pressures in the markets while also relieving the burden on seniors forced to take taxable …Read More

The IRS discount rate used for gift calculation purposes has fallen to an all-time low of 2.4% for January 2009. The implications of this for gift planners and potential donors are significant. Some gift proposals currently under consideration may not qualify for a charitable deduction depending on when gifts are completed, while others will find …Read More

Now is the time for maintaining perspective. Despite all the negative news, many reports conclude that charitable giving in America is resilient. Historical records indicate that after initial declines, giving grew steadily even during the Great Depression. According to IRS data, Americans actually increased the percentage of income they gave to charity during this period …Read More