In Kalispell, Montana, charitable giving is when a person gives something to an organization or individual, without consideration (getting something directly in return). This is for the purpose of advancing some type of cause, helping people in need, or any other altruistic motive.

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

What if, on the other hand, a donor wishes to give everything they own (or a significant chunk of everything they own) to a charity? This is very generous, of course, but it's rarely possible during life, considering the expenses and obligations we all have. On the other hand, most people don't think they'll be needing their money after they die. Knowing this, many arrangements have been created allowing a person to have as much of their money as they want transferred to a charity of their choice 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 common 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 Kalispell, Montana

Charitable trusts are arrangements that involve handing possession (but not necessarily ownership) of money or property over to a charity, either 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. However, the charity, acting as a trustee, has authority to use it for charitable purposes (what the money can and can't be used for should be clearly laid out in the trust).

The most common kind of charitable trust in Kalispell, Montana 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.

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 Kalispell, Montana 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 Kalispell, Montana, who will be able to help you navigate the legal details, making it easier to give effect to your intentions.