• For appreciated stock, you receive the same full fair market value charitable deduction as a gift of cash.
• You avoid capital gains tax, if the donated stock was owned for more than one year and given directly to CMU.
• Your gift of stock can be used to support your favorite university priority, college or program.
• View transfer instructions to provide to your financial adviser to make your gift today.

New in 2023! Life-Income Opportunities from IRAs

Qualified Charitable Distribution now includes gifts that create life-income arrangements, primarily a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). This special provision is available only once during the lifetime of the IRA owner and is limited to $50,000. 

• This opportunity can include multiple gifts, but it must be completed in a single calendar year.
• A minimum 5% immediate annuity rate as deferred payment arrangements are not eligible.
• Payment can be made only to the IRA account owner and spouse, and all annuity payments will be considered ordinary income.
• You can consider creating CGA contracts using other assets in order to accomplish your overall goals as you cannot make future gifts to your CGA or combine non-IRA assets with your once-in-a-lifetime IRA-funded gift.  

For planning purposes, the $100,000 annual limit for direct gifts to charity and the once-per-lifetime $50,000 maximum for charitable gift annuities are indexed for inflation.

Naming CMU as a Beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k) or Other Retirement Plans

• You can continue to make regular lifetime withdrawals.
• You can pick the percentage of your overall account you eventually wish for your family and favorite charities to receive, and you can change it at any time.
• For tax planning purposes, retirement funds are more valuable to your charities than they are to children or other heirs.
• You can establish a charitable trust at the time of death, and funding it with retirement assets effectively “stretches” your inheritance over the lifetime of your children.
• Your fund administrator can provide the appropriate form to update your account beneficiaries, including adding a gift to Carnegie Mellon University.

IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution

• Your eligibility starts at age 70 1/2.
• Direct gifts to CMU and other qualified charities can satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD).
• While not tax deductible, the gift also does not trigger income, making this a powerful giving strategy if you choose not to itemize your taxes.
• You (and your spouse) can each give up to $100,000 per year using this special provision.
• You can reduce your income to take advantage of a lower threshold for Medicare premiums.

• You take advantage of an immediate tax deduction while establishing a fund to harmonize your overall giving.
• You can support CMU and other charities in a year with a windfall event such as an inheritance, business sale or strong market returns.
• With a gift of appreciated assets, you can eliminate or reduce capital gains obligations.
• If your fund is invested, your charitable dollars can grow tax-free.
• You may be able to designate CMU and other charitable organizations as a beneficiary of your fund upon your passing.

• Real estate may be one of your most valuable long-term investments and giving the asset directly to charity can avoid capital gains tax on the sale.
• You’ll relieve yourself of the stress, upkeep and liabilities from real estate investments.
• Making a gift of real property to a charitable trust can turn that property into ongoing cash flow for your retirement while maximizing tax benefits.
• You will receive a tax deduction based upon the property’s full fair market value.

• Your home or primary residence is likely treated differently from a tax perspective than other real estate assets, creating other unique planning options.
• For some properties, such as your primary or vacation residence, you may be able to make a current gift of the home while retaining the right to live in and use that property for the rest of your life.
• This unique gift opportunity is commonly called a charitable retained life estate.

• For term life insurance policies, you can name CMU as a whole or percentage-based beneficiary of the death benefit, while also enjoying flexibility to change your mind at any time should needs arise.
• For whole life or universal life insurance policies, you may name the university as a death beneficiary. Or, if transferring ownership of the policy to CMU, you can receive a tax deduction for the present cash value/face value of the policy.
• You make an impact at CMU using a valuable asset that may have already outlasted its usefulness to you and your family.

• Particularly important for historic or artistic works closely related to the history or mission of the university, you may realize tax advantages by making a gift while knowing the item will live on at CMU.
• You let go of worries about keeping your valuable item secure and maintained.
• You make an immediate impact at CMU while allowing current and future generations of Tartans to enjoy your items.
• You may also find value in a gift of your property, and the university then selling the items in order to fund scholarships, research or other university priorities.