Charitable Giving in Skokie, Illinois

Find the right Charitable Giving attorney in Skokie, IL

In Skokie, Illinois, "charitable giving" involves donating money or property to an individual or organization, expecting nothing directly in return.

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

Some generous donors will sometimes give basically everything they own to charity. This is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not really practical - after all, just about everybody has bills to pay. One solution to this is to put off such a generous donation until after death. This allows the donor to meet their obligations during life, while having the satisfaction of knowing that a cause they care about will be given a large amount of help after their death.

If you want to make a donation that's effective after your death, there are a few ways to do this. The most prevalent method is also the simplest: leaving the charity whatever property you want to give to it in your will - this is known as a "testamentary gift."

Charitable Trusts in Skokie, Illinois

Legal arrangements identified 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.

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 receives possession and control over the money. The charity is then free to use that money, but exclusively for the purposes laid out in the trust instrument.

If a person decides to set up a charitable trust in Skokie, Illinois, they typically 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 (typically 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.

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 Skokie, Illinois 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 Skokie, Illinois, who will typically be able to make the process much easier.

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

Life in Skokie

The picturesque town of Skokie, Illinois is located just sixteen miles from the state capital of Chicago, and twelve miles from Chicago O'Hare International airport. Comprised of 10.2 square miles, Skokie is a popular town for city workers to live in, and was awarded the Illinois "Governor's Award" as well as being recognized as an "All American City" by the National Civil League.

Out of the entire country, Skokie was the first community to have a nationally accredited fire, police and public works department -- a distinction that places Skokie as a model city to many others inside and outside of the state. With all the awards and attention, it is no wonder that Skokie was named one of the 80 fastest growing suburbs in the nation.

Also on the rise in Skokie are lawyers. Whether working in Chicago or Skokie, local lawyers are skilled in anything a client may need whether it is a high stakes divorce or drafting a simple deed. Many lawyers come from the local law schools in Chicago, including University of Chicago Law School.

Skokie gets its unique name from the Native American term for fire. Skokie is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education center, and the city's large Jewish population makes it the only Illinois city that has more Jewish schools than Catholic schools. The North Shore Center for Performing arts is located in Skokie and provides the city with many cultural events and concerts every year.

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