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

Most charitable donors, while they're alive, give their gifts in the simplest way allowed: handing the money or property they wish to donate over to the individual or group they want to help.

What if, however, you want to give all or most of your assets to a charity, to really make a big difference? This is often 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 allowing you to have your assets transferred to a charity after your death.

There are many ways you can donate some or all of your property or money to a charity after your death, if you wish to do so. Direct testamentary gifts are the most common and the most simple way to accomplish this. A testamentary gift simply entails giving the money or property directly to the charity, through a provision in your will.

Charitable Trusts in Denison, Iowa

Charitable trusts are usually used for very large donations, and can be made during the donor's life, or after their death.

In a charitable trust, the money that is donated is still legally owned by the donor. But this is largely a formality, as the charity gets possession and control over the money. The charity is then free to use that money, but only for the purposes laid out in the trust instrument.

The most common kind of charitable trust in Denison, Iowa is a charitable remainder trust. This allows you to give as much money or property as you want to a charity. The money is then invested by the charity. The investments are usually fairly conservative, sacrificing large returns for security. The charity then returns a portion of these returns to the donor, or another person named by the donor, while keeping the rest. This lasts for a set period of time, at the end of which the charity gets full ownership of the original fund.

You should make sure the charity is registered with the Internal Revenue Service, and (if applicable) the taxation authority of .

Do I Need a Denison, Iowa 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 experienced attorney in Denison, Iowa, who will be able to help you navigate the legal details, making it easier to give effect to your intentions.