Meeting the 70 ½ Requirement
If you have an individual retirement account (IRA) and are 70 ½ years and older, you are required to take an annual withdrawal from your IRA. This compulsory yearly distribution is called your “Required Minimum Distribution” or “RMD.”
The PATH Act of 2015 allows an individual to make a yearly charitable contribution from an IRA of up to $100,000 without paying income taxes on the distribution. Donations must be made to one or more qualified charitable organizations (Note: UBarU is a qualified charitable organization). You must be at least 70 ½ for this to apply. Add a couple days after your half-birthday if this is the first time you do this, as a safe harbor.
The process for making the donation is simple. The transfer must be made directly from your IRA custodian to the charity or charities of your choice on or before December 31 of each calendar year. You have a little more time if you do this in the year you turn 70 ½, until April 1st of the next year. Take care! Do not confuse this date with the tax filing deadline of April 15th.
The tradeoff is that you lose your charitable deduction on the $10,000 contribution, but normally the charitable deduction is far less than the tax that you would pay on the IRA distribution, and the cost savings of not having to pay income taxes on your RMD can add up quickly.
If your RMD might push you into a higher tax bracket, consider making a charitable contribution to UBarU. You can direct your gift in any way you wish: to the Capital Campaign, Camp Scholarships, or General Funds. Given our view of the cosmos, the sky's the limit!
For more information, contact our Treasurer, Patricia Baillif, at Treasurer@UBarU.org or call her directly at (214) 660-8385. Please leave a name and callback number if you reach the answering machine.