Charitable Giving in Mercer Island, Washington

Find the right Charitable Giving attorney in Mercer Island, WA

In Mercer Island, Washington, charitable giving is simply the act of transferring money or property to a charitable cause, without the expectation of direct compensation. This is normally done for selfless reasons.

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

Some generous donors will sometimes give practically everything they own to charity. This is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not really practical - after all, just about everybody has bills to pay. One solution to this is to put off such a generous donation until after death. This allows the donor to meet their obligations during life, while having the satisfaction of knowing that a cause they care about will be given a large amount of help after their 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 Mercer Island, Washington

A charitable trust is an arrangement by which a large amount of money can be directed to a charity after the death of the donor, or during the donor's life.

While the money, for a time at least, is still technically owned by the donor, it is possessed and controlled by the charity, which acts as a trustee. The trustee is then able to use the money for the charitable purposes which have been laid out in the agreement that initially established the trust.

The most frequent kind of charitable trust in Mercer Island, Washington is a charitable remainder trust. This authorizes 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 normally 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 complete ownership of the original fund.

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

Do I Need a Mercer Island, Washington 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 Mercer Island, Washington, who can help ensure that your intentions are carried out.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Mercer Island

Mercer Island, Washington is a city situated in King County, on an island in Lake Washington. Its population, according to a 2008 Census estimate, is about 24,000 people.

Mercer Island is part of the Seattle Metro area, and is considered a suburb of that city. The Mercers, a wealthy Seattle Family, settled Mercer Island in the late 1800s, and gave the area its current name.

During that time, an industrialist built a large, luxurious resort on the waterfront, and it was accessible via steamboat from the nearby towns on the mainland. The resort was burnt by a mysterious fire in 1908, however.

Mercer Island is quite affluent, and the IRS has ranked it among the 50 wealthiest Zip Codes in the U.S. The median household income is about ,000, and only 0.2% of the population lives below the poverty line.

There are quite a few parks in Mercer Island, Washington. Luther Burbank Park is one of the largest, and covers about 77 acres, and a significant portion of waterfront. It features a public dock for boats, tennis courts, picnic areas, and nature trails.

Given their sophisticated clientele, and proximity to the largest city in the state, Mercer Island, Washington lawyers are experienced in a wide variety of legal areas. If you have any legal issue, there's a good chance that a Mercer Island, Washington lawyer can solve it, or point you to someone who can.

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