In Overland Park, Kansas, "charitable giving" involves transferring money or property to an individual or organization, expecting nothing directly in return.
The vast majority of charitable gifts are made using the most simple method feasible: giving the gift to the intended beneficiary.
Some people want to give a larger percentage of their assets to a charitable organization than would be feasible during life, so they implement some type of arrangement under which the money will be transferred upon the donor's death.
If you decide to make a sizable donation to a charity that will not actually occur until after your death, the easiest (and most largely-used) method is to simply leave the desired amount of money or property to the charitable organization in your will.
Charitable Trusts in Overland Park, Kansas
Charitable trusts are usually used for very large donations, and can be made during the donor's life, or after their death.
Under a charitable trust, the money going to the charity technically still belongs to the donor. Nonetheless, the charity, acting as a trustee, has power to use it for charitable purposes (what the money can and can't be utilized for should be clearly laid out in the trust).
The most common kind of charitable trust in Overland Park, Kansas 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 complete ownership of the original fund.
Wanting to help a charitable cause is, of course, a good thing. Nonetheless, some people seek to take advantage of our good intentions through fraudulent charities. If you want to help ensure that any money you donate to an organization is actually used for a charitable cause, and that your donation will be tax-deductible, you should check to see that the organization is actually tax-exempt. You can find this information from the IRS and/or the agency accountable for taxation in
Do I Need a Overland Park, Kansas Attorney?
If you wish to set up a charitable trust, you should consult with the organization directly. They often know the simplest way to direct any charitable giving to their organization. You should also speak with a reputable trusts and estates attorney in Overland Park, Kansas, who can help ensure that your intentions are carried out.
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