Your retirement plan is designed to benefit you during your retirement. However, you may name beneficiaries for your plan in case you pass away with funds still in your account. Along with family, relatives and friends, a charity may also be named as the beneficiary. This is among the easiest and most tax-wise ways to give.
Most retirement plans are income tax-deferred, which means that you are required to pay income tax when the funds are distributed. This means that every dollar your heirs receive from retirement accounts would be subject to income tax (unless they are your spouse or the distribution derives from a Roth IRA). Depending on the size of the estate, retirement funds, like other estate assets, may be subject to estate tax as well. However, distributions from retirement accounts to a charity such as Village Theatre would be subject neither to income nor estate tax.
Besides tax savings, a gift of retirement assets has other advantages:
Louise Kincaid: (425) 392-1942 x111
Director of Development
BEQUESTS.
Gifts made through your will or living trust.
RETIREMENT PLAN ASSETS.
Include Village Theatre as a beneficiary to your retirement plan.
LIFE INSURANCE.
Make Village Theatre the beneficiary to your life insurance policy.
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES.
An cash or asset exchange between Village Theatre and you.
CHARITABLE TRUST.
Make a gift to Village Theatre and receive income for your lifetime.
CHARITABLE LEAD TRUSTS.
Gift arrangement involving property transferred into a trust arrangement.