In Columbia, Tennessee, "charitable giving" refers to the act of transferring money or property, for selfless motives. It necessarily means that the donor does not plan on receiving any direct compensation for whatever they have given.
The vast majority of charitable gifts are made using the most simple method possible: 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 frequently 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. However, there are a few arrangements authorizing you to have your assets transferred to a charity after your death.
There are many arrangements authorizing 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 prevalent.
Charitable Trusts in Columbia, Tennessee
Charitable trusts are arrangements that involve handing possession (but not always ownership) of money or property over to a charity, either during the donor's life, or after their death.
The money is still technically owned by the donor, but the charity, serving as a trustee, has the right to use it for charitable purposes, with the exact scope of this right having been laid out in the trust agreement.
The most prevalent type of charitable trust in Columbia, Tennessee is a charitable remainder trust. Under this arrangement, you give a specific amount of money or property to a charity. The charity then invests this money, giving you or a named beneficiary a portion of the income generated from these investments for a set amount of time. Once this expires, the money that was initially invested goes to the charity, free and clear.
Obviously, if you want to help a good cause, you want to make sure that any charity you donate to is legitimate. Sadly, there are quite a few fraudulent charities out there. The best way to do this is to check and make sure that the charity is registered as a tax-exempt organization with the IRS, and the tax authorities in
Do I Need a Columbia, Tennessee Attorney?
If you want to set up a charitable trust, you should first speak with a representative of the charity you want to support. You should also talk with an efficient attorney in Columbia, Tennessee, who will be able to help you navigate the legal details, making it easier to give effect to your intentions.
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