Willamette University offers many life-income arrangements
that, in exchange for your gift, pay income for life or for
a fixed time period. Life-income gifts offer many of the following
benefits:
-
Income payments for life to you and/or other
beneficiaries you choose
-
Reduction or elimination of capital gains
tax on gifts of appreciated property
-
Increased income
-
Current income tax deduction
-
Diversification of investments
-
Professional investment management
-
Reduction of your taxable estate
-
Fulfillment of supporting Willamette during
your lifetime
Generally, any property suitable for an outright
gift to the University can be used to establish a life-income
arrangement. [more information about
types of property that Willamette can accept as gifts]
Fixed-Income Arrangements
Charitable Gift Annuities. With a charitable
gift annuity, you receive a fixed rate of return for life, typically
at rates much higher than rates offered by banks or other fixed-income
investment vehicles. The rate of return generally varies depending
on your age at the time of the gift. A portion of the income you
receive is tax-free. You can establish a charitable gift annuity
with a minimum gift of $5,000. You can choose a deferred charitable
gift annuity, where the start of income payments is deferred,
and you receive a higher rate of return in exchange for the deferral.
| Age |
Rate |
|
Age |
Rate |
| |
5.7% |
|
80 |
|
| |
6.0% |
|
85 |
|
| |
6.5% |
|
90+ |
|
| |
7.1% |
|
|
|
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts. Charitable
remainder annuity trusts pay you a fixed rate of return for life
or for a fixed time period. You have some flexibility in setting
the rate of return. The taxation of the income you receive depends
on the type of investments held by the trust.
Variable-Income Arrangements
Charitable Remainder Unitrusts. Charitable remainder
unitrusts offer considerable flexibility. Your gift is held by
a trustee, who converts the gifted property tax-free into a diversified
mix of fixed-income and equity investments. Trust earnings grow
free of tax. Depending on your objectives, you can, to a considerable
extent, guide the mix of investments and the amount and timing
of income paid to you. The amount of income you receive each year
generally will be affected by the investment performance of the
trust. The income paid to you will be taxed to you in accordance
with the type of income earned by the trust, e.g., ordinary income,
capital gain, or tax-free income. At the end of the term of the
trust, the University receives the assets remaining in the trust.
Retirement Income
Deferred gift annuities and charitable remainder unitrusts
can serve as supplements to your retirement plans. For example,
you can make contributions over time under a deferred charitable
gift annuity arrangement, with the University's payments to you
deferred until a date you select, for example, your 65th birthday.
Lead Trusts
In a number of circumstances, donors who have sufficient
income may find a "lead" trust an attractive way to
make a delayed transfer of assets to children, grandchildren,
or other beneficiaries, with very favorable tax consequences.
A lead trust works as follows: You contribute cash or property
to a trust. Willamette receives income from the trust for a designated
term, typically either for your life or for a specified number
of years. At the end of the term of the trust, the trust assets
are distributed to your named beneficiaries. When interest rates
are low -- as they are now -- the applicable tax rules are especially
favorable and permit a large portion (sometimes 100%) of the assets
to be transferred to your beneficiaries free from gift and estate
tax. A lead trust also helps reduce the special taxes that apply
to large gifts or bequests to grandchildren.
Trustees
Willamette University typically serves as trustee of
charitable remainder trusts and lead trusts. As trustee, the University
employs professional investment managers to help select appropriate
trust investments. You may, however, choose another organization
or individual to serve as trustee.
Please contact the Office
of Gift Planning at (503) 370-6022 for more information about
life-income arrangements that are best suited for your objectives. |