Charitable Opportunities

     Who will forget the year 2001? Do you remember where you were that morning of 9/11? The terrorism of that day sent shockwaves throughout America that continue to reverberate. Despite the evil of others, Americans remained generous in the midst of their suffering, giving an estimated $212 billion that year to charity.
     Are you a gracious giver, perhaps even a philanthropist? If you are a taxpayer, then the answer is yes. How, you ask? During your lifetime, your wealth is subject to taxes in a variety of forms. Income taxes levied on your wages, interest and dividends, and capital gains taxes extracted on the sale of your appreciated assets may tend to make April 15th one of your least favorite days each year.

Voluntary Taxes

     Our tax system is voluntary in its form, but the civil and criminal penalties for noncompliance make the process involuntary in its substance. Thankfully for our national defense and other essential programs of the federal government, most taxpayers voluntarily comply with the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and pay their fair share.
     Beyond the essentials of government, however, are there any programs funded by the federal government you personally consider nonessential and perhaps even wasteful? If there are, then you are an involuntary philanthropist by your financial support of such causes as selected by Congress and the White House.
     Perhaps there are private sector charities you deem more worthy of your tax dollars? Chances are you already support these charities. If so, then you really should know about IRC § 664 and how you may turn your involuntary philanthropy into tax-savvy voluntary philanthropy.

IRC § 664

     Charitable tax deductions have been part of the Internal Revenue Code since its inception. Why? The government’s own research determined that private sector charities deliver social services more cost-effectively than the government itself. The government, in turn, sought to encourage increased charitable giving to private sector charities by enacting IRC § 664 in 1969, permitting split-interest gifts.
     A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is a popular split-interest gifting technique. Through a CRT, you may increase your current income, enjoy current income tax deductions and leave a substantial financial legacy for your favorite charity(ies) upon your death (or upon the death of your spouse, if later).
     Here is how it works. First, you create a CRT and contribute an asset to it. [Note: appreciated assets, i.e., assets that would be subject to capital gains taxation were you to sell them yourself, are commonly contributed because they tend to be low income producers and have a low income tax basis.]
     Second, the CRT sells the asset without capital gains taxation and then reinvests the proceeds in an income-producing portfolio that grows income-tax-free inside the CRT.
     Third, you (and your spouse) receive an enhanced lifetime income plus valuable income tax deductions for up to six years.
     Fourth, upon your death (or upon the death of your spouse, if later), the CRT distributes any remaining assets probate-free to your selected charities and your estate receives a charitable estate tax deduction for their value.

Family Matters

     As the saying goes, charity begins at home. Accordingly, many Americans want to maximize the wealth they ultimately transfer to their children and grandchildren. While the CRT provides a lifetime of income and tax benefits to the taxpayer (and spouse), it also reduces the estate eventually available to loved ones. This is one of the major drawbacks to CRT planning. However, there is a tax-savvy strategy to replace the value of the CRT assets for the benefit of loved ones. This strategy leverages the Annual Gift Exclusion, Life Insurance and the Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.
     Consult qualified legal counsel before you pursue any complex financial or legal strategy.