Gifts That Protect Your Assets
Charitable Lead Trust
About This Gift
A charitable trust is structured in a way that makes the trust exempt from income taxes while allowing you to provide for both designated individuals and charities that you care about.
A charitable lead trust allows you to make an impact on the causes you care about today while also providing for your family later. With a charitable lead trust, you transfer cash or assets to a trust that makes payments to the American Heart Association for a period of time. When the term ends, the remaining assets passes to the individual beneficiaries you select. There are two types of charitable lead trusts.
A charitable lead annuity trust pays a fixed amount each year to the American Heart Association.
A charitable lead unitrust pays a variable amount each year to the American Heart Association based on the value of the assets in the trust. With a unitrust, if the trust’s assets increase in value, the payments to the American Heart Association increase as well, and vice versa.
Benefits
- You may qualify for a tax deduction and the payments can reduce or even eliminate the transfer taxes due when the remaining funds revert to your heirs.
- All appreciation that takes place in your trust becomes tax-free to your heirs.
- You can use your available estate tax unified credit to further reduce the taxes on transfers to your heirs.
How It Works
- Transfer cash, securities, or other appreciated property into your trust.
- You may receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your contribution to your trust.
- The American Heart Association receives annual payments.
- When the trust ends, your individual beneficiaries receive the remaining assets held by the trust.
View the Charitable Lead Annuity Trust Gift Calculator(link opens in new window)
View the Charitable Lead Unitrust Gift Calculator(link opens in new window)
Retained Life Estate
About This Gift
If you would like to make a gift of real estate during your lifetime, you can transfer your property to the American Heart Association while retaining the right to live in and/or use the property for your lifetime. This allows you to enjoy tax benefits during your lifetime and create a legacy with your gift.
Benefits
- You may receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of the appraised value of your property.
- Continue to live in or use your property during your lifetime.
How It Works
- Transfer ownership of real estate to the American Heart Association while continuing to live in and/or use the property for the rest of your life.
- You continue to pay real estate taxes, maintenance fees, and insurance on the property.
- The proceeds on the sale of the property after tenancy terminates funds our mission.
View the Retained Life Estate Gift Calculator(link opens in new window)