In Presidio, Texas, "charitable giving" refers to the act of giving money or property, for selfless motives. It necessarily means that the donor does not plan on receiving any direct compensation for whatever they have given.

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

What if, however, you want to give all or most of your assets to a charity, to really make a big difference? This is commonly not practical while the donor is alive, since they presumably have expenses, and want to maintain for themselves the lifestyle to which they're accustomed. Thankfully, there are a few arrangements permitting you to have your assets transferred to a charity after your death.

There are many ways you can donate some or all of your property or money to a charity after your death, if you wish to do so. Direct testamentary gifts are the most common and the most simple way to accomplish this. A testamentary gift simply entails transferring the money or property directly to the charity, through a provision in your will.

Charitable Trusts in Presidio, Texas

Charitable trusts are arrangements that involve handing possession (but not generally 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. 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).

If a person decides to set up a charitable trust in Presidio, Texas, they normally set up a "charitable remainder trust," since this is usually beneficial to both the donor (or their estate) as well as the charity. The operation of this type of trust is fairly simple: at a set time (normally the donor's death) the property that the donor wants to give to the charity is handed over, and the charity invests it. The charity benefits by getting to keep most of the money that these investments generate. The donor benefits because they also get a percentage of this income, for a period of time laid out in the trust agreement. Afterwards, the recipient of the donation gets it 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 really used for a charitable cause, and that your donation will be tax-deductible, you should check to see that the organization is really tax-exempt. You can find this information from the IRS and/or the agency accountable for taxation in

Do I Need a Presidio, Texas Attorney?

If you wish to set up a charitable trust, you should consult with the organization directly. They commonly know the simplest way to direct any charitable giving to their organization. You should also speak with a seasoned trusts and estates attorney in Presidio, Texas, who can help ensure that your intentions are carried out.