While you are considering your income tax savings, this may also be a good time to consider long-term tax savings for your heirs by including OLT in your will. The federal estate tax’s top rate is 40% for 2013 and future years as enacted by Congress and President Obama in the American Taxpayer Relief Act. That’s a higher tax bite than the federal income tax rate! However, one needs to remember that one’s heirs WILL NOT RECEIVE THE STEP UP IN COST BASIS ON ANY INVESTMENTS from your estate, thus there will be no escaping the capital gains tax if they liquidate an asset. The only way to avoid the capital gains tax is to give the appreciated asset to a charity who can then sell it. The donor receives credit for the full market value of the donation. It definitely pays to do some advance planning with your attorney and other professional advisors, especially since estate plans can be made flexible enough to change as your life and the laws change.
We hope you will consider a charitable bequest in your will to benefit OLT while you save on estate taxes.
Thank you for thinking of OLT in your estate planning. There are multiple ways to donate from your estate and this article is a good overview, https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2023/how-to-donate-to-charities-in-your-will.html
Your attorney and accountant will be able to give you the best advice and implement your wishes in your estate planning documents.
To properly identify OLT in those documents use our legal name and EIN as follows.
Legal Name: Orient Land Trust
EIN: 84-1582988
Street Address: 64393 County Road GG, Moffat, CO 81143
Please let us know if you have any other questions.
How it works
Benefits
If you are considering a major gift, your gift of cash or stock in the form of a “Life Income Gift” can significantly increase your income!
A life income gift allows you to transfer assets, and yet continue to receive income from the cash, stock, or other property contributed. A life income gift can allow you to:
1) Increase your income for life
2) Receive a generous charitable contribution
3) If you contribute stock, avoid any capital gains on the appreciation
A life income gift is often made through a trust arrangement called a “unitrust” or an “annuity trust”. With a unitrust, you and/ or your spouse (or another beneficiary) receives annually a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the assets in the trust. The income will vary year-to year, based upon how the trust’s investments perform. With an annuity trust, you and/ or your spouse (or another beneficiary) receives a fixed amount from the trust each year. This amount is agreed upon when you create the trust; it stays constant, no matter what happens with the stock market or interest rates.
If you have already considered OLT in your will, please note that a life income gift can often be preferable. Such a gift allows you to accomplish your philanthropic goals during your lifetime – and in a tax-advantaged way.
If you own a life insurance policy that is no longer needed, consider it as the perfect vehicle for a year-end charitable gift.
How it works
Benefits
(It’s easy to contribute a life insurance policy to OLT. Just check with your life insurance agent for details on which forms to complete.)
Special Tax Incentive for IRA Gifts
Temporary legislation allows donors aged 70½ and older to direct distributions of up to $100,000 per year from their IRAs and ROTH IRAs to Orient Land Trust, without incurring income tax on the withdrawal. This is a significant incentive that removes the tax penalty for some donors who want to use their IRAs to fund a charitable gift.
What You Should Know:
How it Works:
Please note that Orient Land trust cannot render tax or legal advice and we urge you to consult with your professional advisor about your situation before making a charitable gift.
How it works
Benefits
Special Note
If you are interested in donating a vehicle, please contact your OLT office for more information vehicle needs.
How It Works:
Benefits:
If you have owned your home, a vacation home, apartment building, retail buildings, acreage, or a ranch for many years, a charitable gift of that real estate can be especially tax-advantageous. The property may have so appreciated in value over the years that its sale would result in sizeable capital gains tax. If given to OLT instead, you avoid the tax and, at the same time, realize a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the real estate.
You may also wish to consider a gift of your personal residence or ranch, reserving the right to continue to live in the house or ranch property for life (and if applicable, the lifetime of your surviving spouse). Through such an arrangement, you will be entitled to a current income tax deduction for a portion of the fair market value of the property.
OLT accepts two types of real estate gifts — both of which are critical to our work:
OLT is not able to protect or receive all of the real estate that is offered to us for protection through conservation easement, bargain price acquisition or in-fee donation. The decision to accept or decline land in the San Luis Valley for preservation through conservation easement, bargain price acquisition or in-fee donation is made by OLT’s Board of Directors in conjunction with its mission and Land Conservation Strategic Plan. If you are interested in making such a gift, please contact OLT’s Executive Director, Doug Bishop.
Year-end is an excellent time to consider a gift of stock
Giving long-term appreciated stock or mutual funds offers you a two-fold tax saving. First, you avoid paying any capital gains tax on the increase in value of your stock. In addition, you receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value on the date of the gift. For income tax purposes the value of such gifts may be deducted up to an allowable amount determined by the IRS -- please check with your tax advisor.
Example: If you purchased stock many years ago for $1,000 and it is now worth $10,000, an outright gift of that stock to OLT would result in a charitable deduction of $10,000. In addition, you permanently avoid paying capital gains tax on the $9,000 of appreciation.
Your gift of stock or mutual funds can also be used to fund a charitable gift annuity, diversifying your portfolio and/or securing a stream of income.
How it works
Benefits
There is no easier way to garner a charitable deduction for 2013 – and support Orient Land Trust at the same time – than by simply writing a check or making a donation on-line with a credit/ debit! When renewing your membership in OLT, please consider adding on a donation to support the broader mission of OLT that includes, besides the hot springs, open space land conservation, environmental education, sustainable agriculture/ ranching practices, holistic grazing and permaculture systems, and job skills training for youth of the valley.
Benefits of a Gift of Cash
There's an extra benefit:
You can claim the entire amount of your cash gift as a charitable income tax deduction up to the amount allowable by the IRS – please consult your tax advisor concerning this allowable amount.
Make sure your mail envelope, money-order, wire transfer or on-line donation is postmarked, dated or charged by the end of the year on December 31st. If it is, your gift will qualify as a 2013 gift even if it not received by OLT until the first week of 2014. The check should be made out to Orient Land Trust.
REMEMBER
Although a cash gift can provide immediate benefit to OLT, you can also use it to fund a life-income plan such as a charitable gift annuity.
For the education, enjoyment, and well-being of current and future generations, Orient Land Trust:
promotes a positive clothing-optional experience at all properties including Valley View Hot Springs, Orient Mine and Everson Ranch;
preserves the viewshed, including land acquisition;
protects natural, wild, agricultural, and historic resources, in the northern San Luis Valley.