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

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

Some people, however, may be especially 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 frequently infeasible, since people have their own expenses that they have to cover. Thus, people often put off this donation until after their death.

If you decide to make a sizable donation to a charity that will not directly 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 Monticello, Minnesota

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

In a charitable trust, the property is still technically owned by the donor, but the recipient retains possession and control over it. As the trustee, the charity is free to use the money for any purpose laid out in the trust agreement. With a charitable trust, trustees are usually only permitted to use the money to advance their organization's charitable mission.

The most prevalent type of charitable trust in Monticello, Minnesota is a charitable remainder trust. Under this arrangement, you give a specific amount of money or property to a charity. The charity then invests this money, giving you or a named beneficiary a portion of the income generated from these investments for a set amount of time. Once this expires, the money that was initially invested goes to the charity, free and clear.

If you wish to set up a charitable trust in you should check with the IRS and equivalent state agencies to confirm that the charity you want to help is registered with them. This will help make sure that your money is utilized for a good cause (and not to line somebody's pockets) and that your contribution will be tax-deductible.

Do I Need a Monticello, Minnesota 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 Monticello, Minnesota, who will typically be able to make the process much easier.