WILLS

The simplest way to give to the Community Foundation after your death is through a will. Learn more about creating a will, including the specific language to use to direct a gift to the Community Foundation, in our page on wills.

IRA GIFTS

You can give through your IRA or other qualified retirement plans. Since balances from these accounts are included when determining estate and income taxes to your beneficiaries, a charitable gift from your IRA can prevent those dollars from being included in your estate. Also, if you’re over 70-1/2, consider making a gift to a public charity such as the Community Foundation directly from your IRA. This counts towards your required minimum distribution (RMD) and you won’t pay income tax on the amount transferred.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES

A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) provides you with regular income and reduced taxes during your lifetime, and the assets that remain after your death will benefit your community forever. You can create a Gift Annuity through a gift of cash or stock to the Community Foundation ($10,000 minimum). In exchange, we pay you a fixed, guaranteed percentage of that gift as income for the rest of your life. After your death, we place the remaining assets in a permanent fund to benefit the cause of your choice. This Gift Annuity Calculator can show you how this might work for you.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY: IRA ROLLOVER TO CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY

Enacted in January 2023, the Secure 2.0 Act provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a Charitable Gift Annuity with a tax-free distribution from your IRA. The Secure 2.0 Act allows for a one-time, tax-free transfer from your IRA of up to $53,000 per spouse, which counts toward your annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Annuity rates have increased over the past year and now range from 5.9% to 9.7%, depending on your age. The assets that remain after your death are placed in a permanent fund to benefit the cause of your choice. If you would like a personalized illustration of how this type of planned gift might work for you, contact Rose Meissner at the Community Foundation at (574) 232-0041.

LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES

Life insurance can be an excellent tool for making a charitable gift to the Community Foundation. A donor can deduct the replacement value of the policy. Also, some donors discover that they can increase the size of their gift by purchasing a life insurance policy and naming the Community Foundation as owner and beneficiary.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) allows you to make a gift to the Community Foundation without losing income, and you receive a current income tax deduction for a future gift. This type of trust provides for a specified distribution—annually or more frequently—to at least one noncharitable income recipient for the period specified in the trust instrument. The remainder interest is paid to the Community Foundation.

CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST

With a Charitable Lead Trust (CLT), assets transferred to the trust are eventually returned to the donor or to the donor’s children. While the assets are in trust, the Community Foundation receives annual income from them. You can create a Charitable Lead Trust during your lifetime or when you die, generating significant savings in gift or estate taxes.