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Tips for your year-end giving

Giving to fewer charities can result in more of your money going to programs you care about. Read more about this, tax-free IRA donations, avoiding scams and other year-end giving tips.

Tax-free IRA donations revived

GrinThe compromise tax package just passed by Congress brings back for 2010 and 2011 the ability to donate tax-free from an individual retirement account. And, reflecting the end-of-year nature of the Congressional action, the 2010 donation can be made as late as January 31, 2011. (See section 725 of H.R. 4853).

If you are 70½ or older you can donate from your IRA directly to the qualified organization of your choice – tax-free! The tax package rule applies to the 2010 and 2011 tax years, and allows you to give up to $100,000 each year. You could call this rule the “Grin and Give Rule.” Continue reading “Tax-free IRA donations revived”

Bill extending tax-free IRA donations moves forward

The U.S. House of Representatives has moved forward H.R. 4123 – now know as the “American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010″ – which includes an extension to the end of 2010 of the Internal Revenue Code rule permitting IRA owners to make tax-free donations directly to charities.

Read our description of [...]

Eight tips for 2009 year-end giving

  1. It’s a terrific time to be generous. With demand for charity services up, and donations to charity down, charities need our support now.
  2. Stick with your budget. Philanthropy is wonderful, but first make sure to take care of yourself and those who depend on you.
  3. Focus Continue reading “Eight tips for 2009 year-end giving”

Tax-free IRA donation rule expires December 31, 2009

Interested in donating to a charity before year-end? Have money in your IRA that you can give? Until December 31, 2009, you can donate to that charity directly from your IRA totally tax-free!

Come January 1, this rule is gone.

Read the details.

IRAs and Other Retirement Plans Often Smart Choices for Donating

When choosing which assets to leave to which heirs, think of charities first for IRAs and other retirement plans. No one will benefit more as a beneficiary of your retirement plan than a charity (make sure it’s a Qualified Organization):

Charity beneficiaries don’t pay income taxes on IRA or other retirement plan distributions. Individual [...]

Donate Tax-Free from Your IRA

If you are 70½ or older you can donate from your IRA directly to the qualified organization of your choice – tax-free! This special rule, originally passed by Congress in 2006, was extended in October 2008 (§205 of H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008). The extension applies to the 2008 and 2009 tax years, and allows you to give up to $100,000 each year. You could call this rule the “Grin and Give Rule.” Continue reading “Donate Tax-Free from Your IRA”