Tax Benefits of the CARES Act
The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act is designed to help you, businesses and nonprofits facing economic hardship during the coronavirus pandemic. Some key provisions are set to expire at year's end.
The Law, Explained by a Charitable Planning Attorney
Here are a few provisions of the CARES Act that may affect you and your charitable goals:
Required Minimum Distributions Suspended
The law temporarily suspends the requirements for required minimum distributions (RMD) for the 2020 tax year. This probably comes as a relief to many of you who would have had to withdraw from your retirement accounts. Many of our donors use their RMD to make a gift from their IRA. Despite the RMD suspension, remember that if you are 70½ or older, you can still make a gift from your IRA or name the University of Denver as a beneficiary.
Why a Gift From Your IRA May Still Be a Good Idea
- Your gift will be put to use today, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making.
- You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
- Since the gift doesn’t count as income, it can reduce your annual income level. This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax.
Tax Incentives
The CARES Act expands charitable giving incentives and allows taxpayers who take the standard deduction to make up to $300 of charitable contributions to qualified charities this year. You might think that this is a small amount and would not make a difference. But what if all of our donors gave “just” $300? Such support would have a huge impact on those we serve.
For those who do itemize their deductions, the new law allows for cash contributions to qualified charities such as the University of Denver to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.
Your Charitable Goals
We are deeply grateful for your continued kindness and support during this difficult time. Please contact Jon Kraus at jon.kraus@du.edu or 303.871.4619 to discuss how your gift can help further our mission before 2020 ends.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.