Qualified charitable distributions

Description

Abstract: IRA owners and beneficiaries who have reached age 70½ are permitted to make donations to IRS-approved public charities directly out of their IRAs. These so-called qualified charitable distributions, or QCDs, are federal-income-tax-free, but offer no charitable deduction on one’s tax return. But, that is fine because the tax-free treatment of QCDs is the same as an immediate 100% deduction without having to worry about restrictions that can delay itemized charitable write-offs. As this article points out, QCDs have other tax advantages, too.