The SECURE Act is law. But does it affect any of the ways to give through one’s retirement plan?
Not really.
What it does affect is the marketing approach one should use when promoting IRAs and Unitrusts.
With that in mind, we’ve tweaked the language on all of our client planned giving websites. You should do the same in all of your communications. Don’t worry — it’s simple.
Basically, for individuals who are philanthropically minded … remind them that:
- Retirement plans are normally taxed at a much higher rate. So leaving less-taxed assets to heirs is a much more favorable strategy, since there’s zero-tax if donated to charity.
- Heirs now have only 10 years to take Required Minimum Distributions. This means the government will get their taxes much sooner.
- Now’s a good time for a thorough tax review by an expert. In some cases, it might make sense to leave an IRA to charity and purchase life insurance for your children; or open a charitable remainder trust to maximize legacy benefits.
Here’s a complimentary FAQ page with more information. To learn even more about planned giving strategies for the SECURE Act, register here for our January 29th Webinar with Jeff Comfort. We’ll even cover what advisors who are not philanthropically inclined are telling their clients.
