In the cloak and dagger world of the Planned Giving Design Center (we're just kidding) we sometimes receive unsolicited information from concerned gift planners regarding techniques and practices they believe are questionable. In this special article, we share a technique that attempts to use a charitable remainder trust to eliminate capital gains tax. We call it the "Hocus Pocus CRT." Is it a plan or a scheme? We'll let you be the judge.  MORE »

"I have a private non-operating foundation. What do I do now?" In this edition of Gift Planner's Digest, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta's own Bryan Clontz uses numerous case studies to illustrate ten ways in which community foundations and other like organizations can assist private non- operating foundations in overcoming many of the limitations and challenges they face.  MORE »

In March of 1999, the PGDC published an article regarding the effect of interest rates on charitable contribution deductions for various planned giving vehicles. Given the current low interest rate environment, we thought a reprise would be timely. In this expanded and updated version, PGDC Editor-in-Chief Marc D. Hoffman reviews the types of gift vehicles that provide enhanced income, gift, and estate tax benefits in low interest rate environments, as well as those that are less attractive or may be unavailable to some donors altogether.  MORE »

Just how many things can go wrong in the design and implementation of a charitable remainder trust? As Director of Compliance at Renaissance, Inc., an Indianapolis based charitable trust administration company, Ted Batson has reviewed hundreds of CRTs that did not benefit from the best planning advice. Since we don't use the "H" word, we call this article Charitable Remainder Trusts from "You Know Where."  MORE »

Last December, the Service delivered what many gift planners speculated might be the most exciting private letter ruling for the new year--a ruling that allowed the income recipient of a charitable remainder trust to transfer his income interest to the charitable remainderman as consideration for a charitable gift annuity and accelerate the payment of the present value of the remainder interest to the charity. Was it the most exciting ruling of the year? You be the judge as Ohio State University's Joe Bull and Laura Peebles from the national office of Deloitte & Touche, LLP explain the ruling and its opportunities for planning.  MORE »

At a special meeting on October 16, 2002, the Board of the American Council on Gift Annuities approved a reduction in suggested gift annuity rates, effective January 1, 2003.   MORE »

On September 19, 2002, the PGDC reported and commented on the North American Securities Administrators Association's (NASAA) Top 10 List of Investment Scams. Unfortunately, charitable gift annuities were included on that list. Now, the American Council on Gift Annuities and National Committee on Planned Giving have issued a joint statement in response to the NASAA report.   MORE »

In making a charitable bequest of an art collection, special consideration must be given to whether the imposition of restrictions may unexpectedly cause estate tax. In this article from the September 2002 issue of Estate Planning Journal, Philadelphia attorney Richard Fox reviews Ltr. Rul. 200202032 in which the IRS provides guidance regarding acceptable restrictions.  MORE »

In this edition of Gift Planner's Digest, Vaughn W. Henry and Johni Hays, advisers specializing in trusts and estates and gift planning, discuss ten charitable planning mistakes that tax practitioners should avoid in designing and implementing charitable trusts of different stripes.  MORE »

Last week the PGDC published part one of a two part article on gifts of life insurance by Stephan Leimberg and Albert Gibbons. Now we bring you part two from the April 2002 issue of Estate Planning Journal wherein the authors suggest additional planning strategies, examine the effect of state law, and explain how to handle troublesome transactions.  MORE »