}

Mon-Thur, 9am-5pm; Fri, 9am-1pm

(865) 691-0898

Why You Should Consider Sending Your RMDs Straight to a Charity

by | Jul 26, 2022 | Personal Finance, Retirement, T. Lee Sherbakoff

By Lee Sherbakoff, CPA/PFS™, CFP®, RICP®

If you’re like many of our clients, you want to not only secure a comfortable retirement for yourself, but you want to give back to the community around you. There are many ways to give back in retirement, but one way is to donate your required monthly distributions (RMDs) directly to a charity. 

Let’s look at some of the benefits of donating your RMDs and reasons why you might consider this charitable giving option. 

Benefits of Making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

While cutting out yourself as a middleman saves you a lot of time and administration, that’s not where the greatest benefit of a QCD lies. The greatest benefit is actually financial. You can save a lot of money on taxes by sending all or a portion of your RMD directly to a charity instead of taking it for yourself first. 

When you make a QCD, it is excluded from your taxable income because the amount you donate never shows up on your tax return. This leaves you with a lower taxable income and, therefore, a lower tax bill. And you don’t even have to itemize your deductions to get this tax break. 

Are You Eligible to Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution?

Not all retirement accounts are eligible to use the funds as a QCD. It has to be an IRA that is a traditional, rollover, inherited, inactive SEP, or inactive SIMPLE plan. A SEP or SIMPLE is considered inactive if no employer contribution has been made during the plan year that ends during the tax year that the charitable contribution is made. 

In addition to having the right kind of account, these other requirements must be met: (1)

  • You must be age 70½ or older.
  • To count toward the RMD for the year, the funds must come out of the IRA account by the RMD deadline, which is usually December 31. Excess donations cannot count toward future-year RMDs.
  • QCDs cannot be greater than the amount that would otherwise be taxed as ordinary income (excluding non-deductible contributions).
  • Total QCDs cannot exceed $100,000 per calendar year per taxpayer, regardless of the number of charities donated to.
  • Funds must be distributed directly to the charity. If you take a distribution and then give it to charity, it does not count as a QCD.

Is Your Charity Eligible to Receive a Qualified Charitable Distribution?

After establishing your own eligibility, you need to make sure that your charity is also eligible to receive a QCD. First, it must be a 501(c)(3) organization that is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. 

On top of that, there are certain types of organizations that are not eligible to receive QCDs. They are: (2)

  • Private foundations
  • Supporting organizations (charities that only exist to support other exempt organizations, usually public charities)
  • Donor-advised funds managed by public charities on behalf of individuals, families, or organizations

How Are Qualified Charitable Distributions Reported?

Unless it is an inherited IRA, QCDs are reported as normal distributions on Form 1099-R. For inherited IRAs, they are reported as death distributions. Though state rules vary, QCDs are not subject to federal tax withholding. 

Because it is already tax-free, you may not claim the QCD as a charitable tax deduction. Even though you aren’t claiming it as a deduction, you need the same acknowledgment of the donation that you would need if you were. Keep this in your records in order to document the fact that the QCD was in fact qualified. 

Work With a Professional

Qualified charitable distributions are a tax-efficient way to take advantage of your RMDs and give back to a charity that’s near and dear to your heart. There are some specific rules and requirements to consider, so it’s always best to run your distribution plan by a qualified professional. Want to discuss your retirement distributions, income plan, and charitable gifts? Set up a complimentary appointment so we can see if our services are the right fit for you by calling us at (865) 691-0898 or contacting us online.

About Lee

Lee Sherbakoff is principal and financial advisor with The Nalls Sherbakoff Group, LLC, an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. He specializes in serving pre-retirees and retirees, helping them create and execute financial plans and retirement income plans that lead to sustainable long-term, real-life returns that meet their deepest and most important financial goals and objectives. Lee has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from The University of Tennessee and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College as well as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS™), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) certifications. Lee spent over 31 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, including serving at the Army’s highest levels on the Department of Army staff at the Pentagon and being deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm (1991) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008-2009). Lee lives by the motto, “As I served my country, I now serve you.” When he’s not giving his best to his clients, Lee enjoys giving back to the community and to his profession. He served as a council member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs. In addition, he is past President of the Knoxville Chapter of Tennessee Society of CPAs and past President of the East Tennessee chapter of the Financial Planning Association. To learn more about Lee, connect with him on LinkedIn.

DISCLOSURES: The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product, and should not be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice. The Nalls Sherbakoff Group, LLC makes no warranties with regard to the information or results obtained by third parties and its use and disclaim any liability arising out of, or reliance on the information. These indexes reflect investments for a limited period of time and do not reflect performance in different economic or market cycles and are not intended to reflect the actual outcomes of any client of The Nalls Sherbakoff Group, LLC. Past performance does not guarantee future results.  Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

___________________

(1) https://www.fidelity.com/building-savings/learn-about-iras/required-minimum-distributions/qcds

(2) https://www.kiplinger.com/article/taxes/t055-c032-s014-10-things-anyone-considering-a-qdc-should-know.html

More From T. Lee

How Much Do I Need to Retire Comfortably?

How Much Do I Need to Retire Comfortably?

By Lee Sherbakoff, CPA/PFS™, CFP®, RICP® What’s a good amount to be able to retire comfortably? Instead of a cookie-cutter number, it depends on many variables and is unique to each person. Everyone’s version of a “comfortable” retirement will also look different. You...

read more

May Inflation Data

This morning, Friday, June 10, 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released May inflation data.  The Consumer Price Index showed a re-acceleration in inflation, disappointing investors, consumers, and others that were hoping price increases had peaked.  Prices...

read more

The Cost of Putting Off Financial Planning

By Lee Sherbakoff, CPA/PFS™, CFP®, RICP® “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” as the famous saying goes. This is especially true when it comes to your finances. Most people don’t find the topic of financial planning the most exciting, or even know where to begin...

read more