Charitable Giving

When developing your tax and estate plan, you can do well by doing good. Leaving money to charity rewards you in many ways. It gives you a sense of personal satisfaction, and it can reduce your taxes. However, careful planning is needed, so that your charitable gift may be deducted from your taxable estate.

We can help you decide which strategy may be best for you when making a gift:

Make an outright bequest in your will
An outright bequest is an easy and direct way to make a gift, and it requires only a short paragraph in your will, naming the charitable beneficiary and amount of your gift..

Make a charity the beneficiary of the retirement account
You can name your favorite charity as a beneficiary of a retirement account. This can provide double tax savings. First, the charitable gift will be deductible for estate tax purposes. Second, the charity will not have to pay any income tax on the gift.

Use a charitable trust
Another way for you to make charitable gifts is through the use of a charitable trust. There are many types of charitable trusts. We can help you determine which is right for your estate planning needs.