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Retirement Plan Gifts – Better Now or Later?. Timothy J. Prosser, JD Vice President - Institutional Trust Consulting TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB. North Carolina Planned Giving Council Raleigh, North Carolina February 18, 2009. PART ONE: LIFETIME CHARITABLE GIFTS OF RETIREMENT PLAN ASSETS.
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Retirement Plan Gifts – Better Now or Later? Timothy J. Prosser, JD Vice President - Institutional Trust Consulting TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB North Carolina Planned Giving Council Raleigh, North Carolina February 18, 2009
PART ONE:LIFETIME CHARITABLE GIFTS OF RETIREMENT PLAN ASSETS
BACKGROUND – TESTAMENTARY vs. LIFETIME GIFTS Dichotomy of Lifetime vs. Testamentary gifts • Testamentary Gifts traditionally seen as: • Easy • Flexible • Tax-effective (income and estate taxes) • Lifetime Gifts traditionally seen as: • Inconvenient • Irrevocable • Tax-ineffective (ordinary income and excise taxes)
PLANNED GIVING 101Lifetime Gifts -- Bequests • Rule of Thumb: • Best lifetime charitable gift is appreciated stock or appreciated real estate • Fair market value IT deduction • Avoid capital gain • Best charitable bequest gift is a retirement plan • Carries out taxable income, but charity is tax-exempt • Estate tax charitable deduction • Easy gift to make (beneficiary designation) • Flexible for donor (retain control during life)
Lifetime Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets? • Rule of Thumb (pt. 2): • Lifetime gifts of retirement assets are not practical since withdrawal from qualified plan or IRA produces taxable income for the donor • Large gifts exceed AGI limits • Non-itemizers recognize income, but get no deduction • Increased AGI from withdrawals reduces other deductions • No direct transfer from qualified retirement plan to charity possible under current law • Limited directed transfer possible from IRA to charity . . .
EMERGENCY ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT extends Limited IRA Charitable Rollover thru 2009 • Extends IRA charitable rollover through 2009 (no other substantive change from PPA 2006): • Qualified charitable distributions (“QCD”) excluded from donor’s taxable income • IRA and Roth IRA accounts, only • Up to $100,000 per year per taxpayer • Account owner age 70½ or older on the date of contribution • Distribution directly from IRA account to charity
EMERGENCY ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT extends Limited IRA Charitable Rollover thru 2009 • Qualified charitable distributions (“QCD”) excluded from donor’s taxable income: • To public charity or conduit foundation (§170(b)(1)(A)) • not to donor-advised fund • not to private foundation (non-operating) • not to supporting organization • Outright, fully charitable gift, only • no split-interest gift/no quid pro quo • donor must obtain written acknowledgement • QCD counts toward donor’s Required Minimum Distribution from IRA Account
What is the Required Minimum Distribution? • Beginning the calendar year following the year in which the participant reaches 70½, must begin to withdraw required minimum distribution (RMD) • RMD = Account Balance divided by distribution period (life expectancy) associated with account holder’s age
What is the Required Minimum Distribution? Uniform Life Table (excerpt) Applies to all unless sole beneficiary is a spouse who is more than 10 years younger. Treas. Regs. § 1.401(a)(9)-9 Q&A 2.
What is the Required Minimum Distribution? • Example #1: • Maria has $500,000 in her IRA account on December 31, 2007. She will be 80 at the end of 2008. She must receive at least $26,738 ($500,000 divided by 18.7 year distribution period for an 80 year old) during 2008.
What is the Required Minimum Distribution? • Example #2: • Maria has $300,000 in her IRA account on December 31, 2008. She will be 81 at the end of 2009. She must receive at least $16,760 ($300,000 divided by 17.9 year distribution period for an 81 year old) during 2009.
Pension Bill Waives 2009 IRA RMDs • On December 23, 2008, President Bush signed the Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008. (H.R. 7327). This bill includes a key provision that waives IRA, 401(k), 403(b) and some other types of required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2009. • NCPG’s survey indicates many donors make QCDs in the amount of their Required Minimum Distribution. This legislation largely takes away that incentive.
Which Donors Benefit the Most From IRA Charitable Rollover? • - Donors who do not itemize • - Donors subject to AGI limitations - Donors who want to make large gifts and don’t have other assets - Donors who don’t want / need RMD* *CAVEAT: Reduced account values = reduced RMD; 2009= RMD “Holiday”
Technical Issues – IRS Guidance Notice 2007-7; 2007-5 IRB 1 (January 10, 2007): • Inherited IRAs are eligible for QCD, so long as beneficiary is age 70 ½ • QCD to satisfy outstanding pledge is not a prohibited transaction • QCD is not subject to withholding (QCD request is deemed election not to withhold) 2006 Form 1040 Instructions: • Custodian reports all IRA distributions on 1099 to donor & IRS • Donor reports “QCD” and taxable IRA distributions on Form 1040
NCPG Resources on the IRA Charitable Rollover • NCPG “PPA 2006 Resource Center” (ncpg.org homepage) • Links to legislation; IRS publications; commentary; analysis • NCPG Survey of IRA Rollover Gifts to Charity (ncpg.org homepage) • As of 3-24-08 (for gifts made through 12-31-07): • 8677 distributions; total QCD value over $140M • $5,000 is most popular QCD amount • 20% say to satisfy required minimum distribution • Many accelerated future pledges • 900 charities, and most major financial services firms are represented in the survey data C37312
Retirement Plan Gifts – Better Now or Later? Timothy J. Prosser, JD NC Planned Giving Council Vice Pres - Institutional Trust Consulting Raleigh, North Carolina TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB February 18, 2009 TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB provides trust services. Investment products are not insured by the FDIC; are not deposits or other obligations of TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB; are not guaranteed by TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB; and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal invested. Neither TIAA-CREF nor its affiliates provide legal or tax advice. This presentation is for educational purposes only and addresses a complex topic. Because it does not address many of the nuances of estate and tax law - both federal and state - and because these laws are continually being revised, we urge you to seek the advice of your own attorney, tax advisor, or accountant regarding your particular situation.