Category: IRAs

The CARES Act

April 6, 2020

The CARES Act is an acronym for Coronavirus Aid, Relieve, and Economic Security Act.  Below are some thoughts specific to our industry that might be helpful to you:

  • 2019 IRA Contributions: The 2019 IRA contribution deadline has been extended with the tax-filing deadline until July 15th. Make sure that you communicate with us if your contributions are intended to be for prior-year.
  • Early Withdrawal Penalty Waiver: The CARES Act also waives the 10% early distribution on distribution of up $100,000 from IRAs and plans for individuals who meet the requirements of being affected by the coronavirus. The tax would still be due on pre-tax distributions, but could be spread evenly over three years, and the funds could be repaid anytime during the three years.
  • 2020 RMDs: The Act included a waiver for required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2020. This waiver applies to company savings plans and Traditional and Inherited IRAs. If you would like to stop your 2020 RMDs, please contact our office.
  • Charitable deductions: The Act creates an above-the-line charitable deduction for 2020 (not to exceed $300) with a cash donation to charity, this particularly useful for those using the Standard Deduction on their tax return but still give. If you itemize your deductions, the bill also modifies the AGI limitations on charitable contributions for 2020, to 100% of AGI for individuals and 25% of taxable income for corporations. The bill also increases the food contribution limits to 25%.  The prior AGI limit was 60% for individuals.  Donor-Advised Fund Limits were unchanged, so if you are desiring to maximize the individual or corporate increases, the increased giving must be directly to a qualified charitable organization.

The Bill that was passed is over 800 pages long and covers many things from stimulus, to loan programs, to one-year changes in tax laws, and more.  Please stay close to your accountants, attorneys, and bankers for applicable opportunities this Act provides.  Feel free to reach out to us if you have questions as to how this Bill impacts you and if we don’t know the answer, we’ll point you to someone who does.

If you anticipate receiving a stimulus check, it would be a good time to prayerfully consider how best to use that money since it was not in anyone’s plans as the year started.  If you haven’t been financially impacted by the COVID-19, perhaps consider extra levels of generosity to help those who have needs.

Thank you again for trusting us to walk with you on your stewardship journey.

Qualified Charitable Distributions

February 4, 2016

Qualified Charitable Distributions

In the past, we have helped several of our clients make distributions from their Traditional IRA accounts to charities.  The past several years, Congress waited and would then temporarily (and sometimes retroactively) pass laws that allowed these Qualified Charitable Distributions, which satisfies an account owner’s Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) in a given tax year without being taxed on the distribution.

On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, which reinstated the IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution permanently.   This gives you the opportunity to make a gift of up to $100,000 from your IRA to a public charity(s) without incurring a tax bill on the distribution.  For clarity sake, this distribution and gift cannot be then claimed as a deduction for tax purposes.   

Who qualifies?

Owners of Traditional IRAs (not SEP or Simple IRAs) who have attained the age of 70 ½ (on the date of distribution) may distribute directly from their IRA to a charity up to $100,000 per year and exclude the contributed amount from their gross income for tax purposes. This amount can be counted towards the IRA’s annual required minimum distribution.

Who can receive IRA distributions?

The IRS has stated that any organization who is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions can receive these Qualified Charitable Distributions, but there are some exceptions including a donor-advised fund, a supporting organization, a private foundation, and any distribution in connection with a charitable gift annuity.

If you are interested in doing a Qualified Charitable Distribution or know of someone who is, please contact our office to schedule a meeting to discuss the concept in more detail with your specific account and objectives.

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