Batley CPA offers advice on qualified charitable distributions

GRAFTON, Wis. - March 19, 2019 - PRLog -- Can you get tax benefits for charitable contributions?

As the filing season for 2018 tax returns reaches a peak, many people will learn that they're no longer itemizing deductions. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) placed limits on some deductions and increased the standard deduction significantly, so most taxpayers are taking the standard deduction, rather than itemizing.

One result is that charitable contributions offer no direct tax benefit for many donors. An indirect benefit may be available for people who are 70½ or older. They can take qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from their IRAs and effectively reduce their income in a maneuver solidly supported by the tax code.

(Taxpayers under age 70½ will report taxable income if they send IRA dollars to charity, so this tactic won't work. That said, people under the QCD age should inform their parents and other valued seniors about this give-and-take option.)

Realistic expectations

Using QCDs may not be a straightforward exercise. IRA custodians differ in the way they handle the procedure.

Taxpayers may have to call their IRA custodian and speak to a designated person who is familiar with qualified charitable distributions. Charitable recipients can be named, along with their mailing addresses. Securities might have to be sold, if the QCD is to be made in cash, and a form might have to be signed by the IRA owner for each charity, permitting the QCD.

Other financial firms might send out a distribution booklet to be returned, along with a signature guarantee for each QCD. Yet another possible method is to handle the QCD transaction online. The process can be time-consuming and possibly confusing, so it's best not to wait until the waning days of December to get started.

Keep in mind that a distribution will only be a QCD if the entire distribution meets the requirements for a charitable contribution deduction, such as a charity's eligibility under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code and substantiation requirements. Qualified charitable distributions can't be sent to donor-advised funds.

About Batley CPA

Batley CPA, LLC is a full-service CPA firm providing tax, accounting, payroll and advisory services to businesses and individuals throughout Green Bay and the Fox Cities. Batley CPA regularly provides clients with best practices and strategies to maximize cash flow, profit, reduce taxes, manage costs and risk, and bring meaning to financial and operational data. The company has offices in Appleton, Neenah and Green Bay.

Batley CPA is available to answer any questions you may have about qualified charitable distributions.

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