Published July 14, 2017 by SmolenPlevy
If your estate plan includes non-cash charitable donations or liquid asset donations with restrictions, you may wish to discuss such planned gifts with the intended recipients before you finalize your plan. This is particularly important for donations that place restrictions on the charity’s use of the gift, as well as donations of real estate or other liquid assets. In contrast, if you are making a simple cash bequest, not contacting the charity might be the better approach. If you are not interested in immediate recognition, not contacting the charity about a gift will keep the charity off your front doorstep until such time as is appropriate to let them know.
Why a charity may reject your gift
Some charities have policies of rejecting gifts that come with strings attached — they accept only unrestricted gifts. And many charities are reluctant to accept gifts of real estate or other non-cash assets that may expose them to liability or require an investment in order to convert the assets into operating funds.
If a charity rejects your gift, the property will end up back in your estate and will go to any contingent or residual beneficiaries. If these beneficiaries are not other charities, rejection of the gift may create estate tax liability.
Reconsider donating real estate to a charity
Real estate is particularly risky for nonprofits. The charity may be exposed to liability for environmental issues, zoning and building code violations, and other risks. It may require a cash investment to pay the mortgage or maintain the property. And certain types of property — such as rental properties — can generate “debt-financed income,” which may cause the nonprofit to be subject to unrelated business income tax.
Even if a charity accepts gifts of real estate, it may place strict conditions on such gifts. For example, to minimize their liability, some charities require donors to place real estate in a limited liability company (LLC) and donate LLC interests. Another option is to donate property to a supporting organization that disposes of real estate on a charity’s behalf.
Call us first
If you would like to make charitable gifts through your estate plan, contact us and we can guide you on the advisability of contacting the charity and coordinating with them to ensure that your donation would be accepted. We can then help you make the proper revisions to your estate plan.
