Charitable giving in California, California is the transferring of money or some other asset to a charitable cause.

The vast majority of charitable gifts are made using the most simple method allowed: giving the gift to the intended beneficiary.

What if, however, you want to give all or most of your assets to a charity, to really make a big difference? This is commonly not practical while the donor is alive, since they presumably have expenses, and want to maintain for themselves the lifestyle to which they're accustomed. Fortunately, there are a few arrangements permitting you to have your assets transferred to a charity after your death.

There are many arrangements permitting you to donate some or all of your assets to a charitable cause after your death, but direct testamentary gifts (simply leaving money in your will to the charity of your choice) are the most frequent.

Charitable Trusts in California, California

Charitable trusts are arrangements that involve handing possession (but not generally ownership) of money or property over to a charity, either during the donor's life, or after their death.

In a charitable trust, the property is still technically owned by the donor, but the recipient retains possession and control over it. As the trustee, the charity is free to use the money for any purpose laid out in the trust agreement. With a charitable trust, trustees are typically only authorized to use the money to advance their organization's charitable mission.

If a person decides to set up a charitable trust in California, California, they normally set up a "charitable remainder trust," since this is usually beneficial to both the donor (or their estate) as well as the charity. The operation of this type of trust is fairly simple: at a set time (normally the donor's death) the property that the donor wants to give to the charity is handed over, and the charity invests it. The charity benefits by getting to keep most of the money that these investments generate. The donor benefits because they also get a percentage of this income, for a period of time laid out in the trust agreement. Afterwards, the recipient of the donation gets it free and clear.

Most charitable donations are deductible from your state and federal taxable income. However, in order for your donations to count, the charity should be registered with the IRS and equivalent institution in .

Do I Need a California, California Attorney?

If you wish to set up a charitable trust, you should consult with the organization directly. They commonly know the easiest way to direct any charitable giving to their organization. You should also speak with a brilliant trusts and estates attorney in California, California, who can help ensure that your intentions are carried out.