Charitable
Lead Trusts
A charitable
lead trust is like a charitable remainder trust in reverse. You select
the assets used to fund the trust and decide how long it will last,
and the Diocese receives income from the trust while it exists. There
is no minimum payout. When the trust terminates, its assets return to
you or your designated beneficiary. This type of trust can be useful
if you want to reduce your current income, but wish to retain the assets
for your family. A
charitable lead trust can be a means to transfer substantial amounts
of wealth from generation to generation, free (largely free) of estate,
inheritance, and gift taxes.
A charitable
lead trust is a complex giving vehicle with many income, estate, and
gift tax consequences. You should discuss your goals with your legal
and financial advisers to determine whether a charitable lead trust
would suit your plans. You are also encouraged to contact the planned
giving professional at the Diocese for more detailed information.
Advantages:
- Reduces
current income while retaining assets
- Can
be a low-cost means of transferring property to heirs
- Opportunity
to make a substantial current gift to the Church
- Potential
estate, inheritance, and gift tax savings
Gifts
of Real Estate Subject to Life Estate
Your personal
residence or farm may be the single most valuable asset you own. If
it has appreciated significantly in value, you could owe tremendous
capital gains taxes if you or your heirs sold the property. An alternative
is to give the property to the Church subject to life estate, which
simply means that you or your designees retain the use of the property
for life.
You gain
an immediate tax deduction for the remainder interest in the property,
and you escape the potential capital gains taxes. Best of all, you get
to make a substantial gift for a Parish or the Diocese without disrupting
your lifestyle.
Gifts of
this kind require detailed language tailored to your specific situation
and needs, and the advantages and benefits vary accordingly. The Church's
development staff will be happy to work with you and your advisers to
help you arrange the best plan for you.
Advantages:
- Opportunity
to make a substantial gift to the Church while retaining lifetime
use
- Opportunity
to make a substantial gift to the Church while retaining lifetime
use
- Immediate
tax deduction
- Avoid
capital gains taxes
- Estate
and tax and probate savings
- Can
provide a favorable income tax position
Wealth
Replacement with Life Insurance
When you
make a gift to the Church, you may use a life insurance trust to replace
the value of the donated assets. In this way, you can protect the interests
of your heirs while still fulfilling your philanthropic goals. The life
insurance provides the dollar amount, and the trust, provided it is
irrevocable, removes the proceeds from your estate for tax purposes.
In this
arrangement, you create a trust to buy insurance on your life, with
your children as beneficiaries. You can use the tax savings from your
charitable gift, or the payout from a life income arrangement, to cover
the premiums. After your death, the proceeds from the policy pass to
the trust free of estate taxes, thereby replacing the value of the original
charitable gift.
Wealth
replacement life insurance trusts can be set up in several different
ways, and all have strict technical requirements. You should discuss
them with your financial and legal advisers before deciding to pursue
this option. The Church's development staff will be happy to answer
your questions.
Advantages:
- Restores
asset value to your estate at relatively low cost
- Opportunity
to make a substantial gift to the Church without consequence to your
heirs
- Estate
tax and probate savings
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