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

In general, it's extremely easy to make a charitable donation to a cause you want to help. Whether it contains writing a huge check, or dropping spare change in a donation jar, a huge majority of charitable gifts are made simply by giving money away, with no intermediary or other complicated legal arrangements.

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. Luckily, 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 Simsbury, Connecticut

Legal arrangements recognized as "charitable trusts" are also utilized to give large amounts of money to charity. It can be used to make the gift quickly, or it can be set to take effect after the donor's death.

While the money, for a time at least, is still technically owned by the donor, it is possessed and controlled by the charity, which acts as a trustee. The trustee is then able to use the money for the charitable purposes which have been laid out in the agreement that initially formed the trust.

In Simsbury, Connecticut, a "charitable remainder trust" is the most typical 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 produce, becomes the legal property of the charity, to dispose of as it pleases.

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

Do I Need a Simsbury, Connecticut Attorney?

When attempting to create a charitable trust, or make another charitable donation, the first thing you should do is discuss this with the organization you want to make the donation to. They will probably be able to advise you on how to donate your money in the way that will be most useful to them. And, of course, you should speak with an attorney in Simsbury, Connecticut, who will normally be able to make the process much easier.