Charitable Giving in Burlington, Vermont

Find the right Charitable Giving attorney in Burlington, VT

In Burlington, Vermont, charitable giving is simply the act of transferring money or property to a charitable cause, without the expectation of direct compensation. This is normally done for selfless reasons.

In life, charitable giving normally simply involves writing a check or handing cash over to the charitable organization of the donor's choice.

Some people, however, may be particularly dedicated to a certain cause, giving rise to a desire to donate a very large percentage of their assets to it. However, during life, this is often infeasible, since people have their own expenses that they have to cover. Therefore, people often put off this donation until after their death.

If you decide to make a sizable donation to a charity that will not really occur until after your death, the easiest (and most commonly-used) method is to simply leave the desired amount of money or property to the charitable organization in your will.

Charitable Trusts in Burlington, Vermont

A charitable trust is an arrangement through which some amount of money or property is given to a charity after the donor's death, or during their life.

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.

In Burlington, Vermont, a "charitable remainder trust" is the most common kind of charitable trust. This authorizes the money or property to immediately pass to the charity of the donor's choice, so they can benefit from it as soon as possible. The charity takes the money, and invests it (typically in reliable, but not necessarily high-yield, investments). They keep most of the income that this generates, but return a portion of it to the donor on a regular basis, for a set period of time. When this time runs out, the original donation, along with all the income it will generate, becomes the legal property of the charity, to dispose of as it pleases.

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 Burlington, Vermont 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 accomplished attorney in Burlington, Vermont, who will be able to help you navigate the legal details, making it easier to give effect to your intentions.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Burlington

Burlington is Vermont's largest city. It is located in Chittenden County and is approximately 45 miles from the U.S.-Canadian border. Per the 2010 census, it has a population of 42,417 people. Neighboring areas include South Burlington, Winooski, Colchester, Essex and Williston.

An interesting fact is that Burlington has the sixth lowest unemployment rate of all surveyed metropolitan areas in the United States. Top employers include IDX Systems, Vermont Tedy Bear Company, General Dynamics, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burton Snowboards, Bruegger's, and Seventh Generation Inc. Burlington is also home to many law offices and small firms practicing in virtually all areas of law, and providing their clients with excellent and personalized legal services.

Popular sites include the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Deck Towers, Burlington Square, and Cathedral Square.

Overall, Burlington is a charming place to visit or call home!

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Regel B.
Regel B.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Caldwell, LA

Brad M.
Brad M.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Sussex, NJ

David L.
David L.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Ashland, OH