In Mounds View, 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 possible: handing the money or property they wish to donate over to the individual or group they want to help.

Some people, however, may be particularly 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 often 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 commonly-used) method is to simply leave the desired amount of money or property to the charitable organization in your will.

Charitable Trusts in Mounds View, 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.

In Mounds View, Minnesota, a "charitable remainder trust" is the most common kind of charitable trust. This permits 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 (usually 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 generate, becomes the legal property of the charity, to dispose of as it pleases.

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

Do I Need a Mounds View, Minnesota Attorney?

If you wish to set up a charitable trust, you should consult with the organization directly. They frequently know the easiest way to direct any charitable giving to their organization. You should also speak with a knowledgeable trusts and estates attorney in Mounds View, Minnesota, who can help ensure that your intentions are carried out.