Gifts That Pay You Income
The Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) &
Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
A POSSIBLE SCENARIO:
Ralph and Marge have entered into their retirement years and are prayerfully considering the stewardship of all of their assets – often referred to as their estate. While they live comfortably and have considered making gifts of some “extra” assets (mostly CDs and a few low-dividend stocks), they wonder if they might someday need the income these assets can provide.
Are there charitable options for Ralph and Marge that could allow them to both receive income and make a generous gift?
Yes! Here are two options.
The Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA)
Like all annuities, the CGA provides income based upon the age(s) of the annuitant(s). The older you are, the higher the income paid.
Benefits of the CGA include fixed income for life (a portion may be tax-free), a charitable tax deduction, partial avoidance of any capital gains tax, and the joy of knowing you are making an important contribution to Kingdom ministry.
The charitable gift annuity is an agreement between you and a specific charity. They are most typically funded with cash and/or appreciated securities. The following chart represents a sample of current CGA rates for one and two life annuities.
To learn more about charitable gift annuities, you can read or download our eBook, A Guide to Charitable Gift Annuities
A SECOND POSSIBLE SCENARIO
Several years ago, Ralph and Marge decided to move across town and they purchased a new house. Rather than sell their old house, they decided to keep it as a rental property. This worked quite well until Ralph passed away and Marge was left to manage the property rental and maintenance.
Because she didn’t enjoy “fixing broken toilets,” Marge looked for another option. A charitable gift planner at her favorite ministry explained how Marge could give the rental house to a Charitable Remainder Trust, receive income for life from the trust, and not have to manage the rental property.
After further exploration, Marge learned that she would also receive a charitable tax deduction and that her favorite ministry would receive a cash distribution at her death. All-in-all, the concept made good sense to Marge and she is now enjoying income similar to the rent – without ever having to fix another broken toilet!
The Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
The CRT has many of the same benefits of the CGA – but can be more flexible for the giver(s). With a CRT you can choose to receive fixed or variable income depending upon your needs and desires. CRTs can be funded with cash, appreciated securities, or other non-cash, non-liquid assets. While CGAs are generally most advantageous for older individuals, the CRT may work for much younger adults as well.
Because the CRT is a separate tax-filing entity, it is most useful for those looking to contribute at least $100,000. If you want a more hands-on agreement, or want to use a non-cash, non-liquid asset to produce lifetime income and make a generous gift, the CRT may work well for you.
You can read or download our eBook, A Guide to Charitable Income Agreements.
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