McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus and one of his philanthropically-minded clients were recently interviewed by Forbes Editor & Reporter Ashlea Ebeling about the advantages of setting up a charitable trust. From the article, “Why Charitable Trusts Rule Under The New Tax Law”:
When Terrence Hahn left Honeywell as head of its home and building technologies division this year, he had amassed a lot of company stock over 11 years and was facing a huge capital gains tax bill if he sold. Looking to diversify his portfolio and to formalize his family’s charitable giving, he found a handy solution: A charitable remainder unitrust.
“In today’s jittery markets, clients are more than ever focused on monetizing these concentrated stock positions,” says his tax and estate lawyer, John McManus, of McManus & Associates in New Providence, N.J.
The pitch: If you put appreciated assets into a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT), you postpone or avoid capital gains tax. The trust pays you a fixed percentage of the principal as revalued each year—for a set number of years or life—and what’s left in the trust at the end goes to charity. In Hahn’s case, the ultimate beneficiary is a family foundation. The CRUT/family foundation is a great combination if you want flexibility and control over how you shape your ultimate charitable legacy, McManus says.
The story goes on to explain why there’s even more reason to consider a charitable remainder unitrust today:
CRUTs have been around for decades. But there’s more than just the old reasons for setting up a CRUT today. The new Trump tax overhaul made changes that favor their formation. First, by increasing the standard deduction and capping the state and local tax deduction, the new tax law dramatically cuts the number of taxpayers who will benefit from itemizing deductions, including deductions for charitable donations. In addition, the new law eliminates the Pease provision that limited deductions for high income taxpayers. Today, by making a big one-time gift upfront to a charitable trust, donors will be able to snag the charitable deduction. And if you donate appreciated assets, there’s the capital gains tax play too. Remember, the top capital gains tax rate is still 23.8%.
Read the full Forbes article, which includes additional insight from John, by clicking here.
To set up a time to discuss giving strategies that should be considered in light of your unique interests and financial situation, call McManus & Associates at 908-898-0100. We would love to help you support causes about which you’re passionate—and in a tax-effective way.
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