In Scotch Plains, New Jersey, charitable giving is when a person transfers 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 general, it's quite easy to make a charitable donation to a cause you want to help. Whether it includes writing a huge check, or dropping spare change in a donation jar, a huge majority of charitable gifts are made simply by giving money away, with no intermediary or other intricate legal arrangements.

Some people want to give a larger percentage of their assets to a charitable organization than would be feasible during life, so they formulate some type of arrangement under which the money will be transferred upon the donor's death.

There are many ways to give a charitable gift that does not take effect until after the donor dies. The simplest and least intricate way to do this is a simple testamentary gift in a will - wherein a specific amount of the donor's money is transferred to the charity upon the donor's death.

Charitable Trusts in Scotch Plains, New Jersey

A charitable trust is an arrangement through which some amount of money or property is directed to a charity after the donor's death, or throughout their life.

The money is still technically owned by the donor, but the charity, serving as a trustee, has the permission to use it for charitable purposes, with the exact scope of this right having been laid out in the trust agreement.

The most prevalent type of charitable trust in Scotch Plains, New Jersey 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.

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 directly used for a charitable cause, and that your donation will be tax-deductible, you should check to see that the organization is truly tax-exempt. You can find this information from the IRS and/or the agency accountable for taxation in

Do I Need a Scotch Plains, New Jersey 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 efficient attorney in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, who will be able to help you navigate the legal details, making it easier to give effect to your intentions.