Nonprofit Events & Opportunities in April 2019

blackboard

April Fool’s and Easter aren’t the only days to look forward to in April! I like to help spread the word about all the awesome events, awards, and grants available in Iowa. There are so many great opportunities for nonprofit pros, board members, volunteers, and donors, that range from webinars to workshops. But, life is busy, and it can be hard to keep track of what you should register for or put on your calendar. That’s why I compiled a list for your convenience!

Learning Seminars, Trainings, & Workshops

  • 4/2- For those on the western side of the state of Iowa, young professionals can take advantage of the opportunity to learn about what it means to serve on a nonprofit board at this Board Training (in Omaha) presented by Share Omaha.
  • 4/3- Still not sure how search engine optimization can help your nonprofit, or what it is? Cedar Falls-based Red Lab Technologies will be helping the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa Marketing Meet Up group get answers and solutions to these questions and more.
  • 4/4- Attend the Central Iowa Chapter of Grant Professionals Association, “In It to Win It – Grant Writing, Management, and Everything in Between” workshop at DMACC. Pro grant trainers Johna Rodgers, GPC, and Amanda Day, GPC, share their knowledge of grant writing, management, and other topics.
  • 4/4- The Minnesota Planned Giving Council will lead community foundation participants in a one-day seminar through the nuts and bolts of planned giving instruments and strategies at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens. Registration is $25 per participant.
  • 4/9- Cedar Valley Nonprofit Association is hosting SuperSTAR Supervision to enhance your professional skill repertoire while heightening the intentionality of your supervision through the sharing of tips and strategies to make you a S.T.A.R. in your most important role. Presenter: Dr. Beth Triplett, Leadership Dots.
    Free for CVNA members/$25 non-members.
  • 4/9- The Association of Fundraising Professionals Eastern Iowa Chapter is hosting a program highlighting the Eastern Iowa successes with giving circles that reflect the generosity of community members and may offer insights into giving preferences of a relatively untapped demographic. Learn more from Leighton Smith, who helped found the Hawkeye Chapter of 100+ Men Who Care, which surpassed $500,000 in total cash contributions this past November.
  • 4/15- Hosted by World Renew in Pella, “Helping that Helps” workshop attendees will hear stories from practitioners, best practices from each other, and be inspired to confidently partner both locally and globally in a way that provides hope instead of unintended harm.
  • 4/25- For the quarterly membership meeting of the Iowa Council of Foundations, head to NewBoCo for an interactive session on how Power Moves can help you redefine risk to more effectively build, share and wield power for equity and justice.
  • 4/30- Here’s a great event in Des Moines: “A Fairytale for Fundraising: Storytelling Strategies to Inspire Donations.” The workshop is for nonprofit staff and board members who want to make a connection between marketing and development functions, lead fundraising or promotional efforts for the organization or want to gain a better understanding of how they can be an ambassador for their organization by telling the story of impact and opportunity. The cost to attend is $30 and the event will be held at Junior Achievement in Des Moines.

Events

  • 4/4- UNI’s Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Student Association hosts the15th Annual Cedar Valley Nonprofit Awards Luncheon to recognize the contributions of local nonprofits and nonprofit leaders.
  • 4/5- Put a spring in your step with eight rounds of trivia in Iowa City to benefit a community non-profit, the Antelope Lending Library Bookmobile.
  • 4/6- Join the Clinton Committee at the 24th Annual Clinton Benefit: Red, White, and Blue make wishes come true to benefit Make-A-Wish Iowa.
  • 4/6- Hops for Housing is a fund- and awareness-raising event at NewBo City Market to benefit Willis Dady Homeless Services, which provides shelter and prevention services to homeless and near-homeless households in Linn County. The event will feature beers from 35-40 local, state, national, and international breweries. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.
  • 4/12- Eastern Iowa Corridor wine and beer tasting event, Uncork A Wish, returns to Cedar Rapids. All proceeds will go to Make-A-Wish Iowa to help grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
  • 4/25- Attend the spring banquet benefiting the Dubuque Dream Center. The theme is Impacting Youth. In the keynote, “Telling Our Story,” teachers, parents & students will share how the Dubuque Dream Center has impacted lives and the Dubuque community. An individual ticket for this event is $75 and a table of 8 is $600.
  • 4/26- Putts for Prevention is an exciting and fun nine hole putt-putt course located at all of your favorite downtown eateries in Cedar Rapids. Your day will start at Greene Square Park and follow the course of restaurants and bars. The best part? The proceeds will go to Foundation 2 and support crisis services and suicide prevention efforts.

Grants

First Day of the Season: Spring Ahead with Nonprofit Success

There are so many great events and opportunities for nonprofits and the people that advance them that there is no doubt I missed some in the list above. If you would like to notify GFLF of any upcoming nonprofit-focused events and opportunities in the coming months, don’t hesitate to email me at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com.

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Sweet Sixteen: 16 Reasons Charitable Gift Annuities Are Great Tools for Philanthropic Giving

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The #SweetSixteen is a time of celebration for teams which made the elite group. Similarly, with charitable gift annuities (CGAs), donors can experience the joy of giving to their favorite causes. But, unlike making the Sweet Sixteen, CGAs aren’t hard, they are relatively easy to understand and execute. Also unlike the Sweet Sixteen, CGA donors don’t have to be part of an elite group; all donors, regardless of income, or class, or status, can enjoy the many benefits CGAs offer.

ABCs of CGAs

A CGA is easy to understand, about as easy as a fast break lay-up. A CGA, put simply, is a contract. Specifically, a CGA is a contract in which a charity agrees to pay a fixed amount of money to one or two individuals for their lifetime(s), in return for a transfer of assets (such as, say, cash, stocks, or farmland).

A person who receives payments is called an “annuitant” or “beneficiary.” After the annuitant(s) die(s), or the term of the contract ends, the charity keeps the remainder of the gift.

ABCs of CGAs: Basics of Charitable Gift Annuities

Sixteen Sweet Benefits of a CGA

Before we go deep into CGAs, I’ve listed 16 key advantages of CGAs.

  1. CGAs are simple to execute.
  2. CGAs are (relatively) easy to understand and explain.
  3. CGAs avoid management responsibilities.
  4. CGAs may be executed during lifetime (called an inter vivos transfer), or by operation of a will (called a testamentary transfer).
  5. CGAs allow a donor to provide a consistent stream of income for others.
  6. CGAs pay lifetime income to one or two individuals, part of which is (most often) a return of principal and free from income tax.
  7. CGAs provide an immediate income tax charitable deduction for the donor for the gift portion.
  8. When appreciated property (such as stock or real estate) is provided to fund a CGA, and the donor is an annuitant, some of the capital gain is spread over the donor’s life expectancy, and the rest is never recognized because it is attributed to the gift portion.
  9. Depending on all the circumstances, CGAs can possibly save a donor taxes on Social Security benefits.
  10. The income payout from CGAs can begin immediately or can be deferred.
  11. The income payout from CGAs is guaranteed.
  12. The income payout from CGAs is fixed (e.g., same amount is paid each payment period).
  13. The charity’s obligation to make the income payout is backed by the general assets of the charity.
  14. For some donors, especially in today’s low-interest environment, CGAs may present an attractive alternative to CDs.
  15. In certain situations, CGAs can supplement retirement income.
  16. CGAs provide the joy of giving to your favorite causes.

basketball court with ball in hoop

Three More Points on the Scoreboard—Three Types of CGA Agreements

1. Immediate Gift Annuity

Under an immediate gift annuity, the annuitant(s) start(s) receiving payments at the start/end of the payment period immediately following the contribution. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.

2. Deferred Gift Annuity

Under a deferred payment gift annuity, the annuitant(s) start(s) receiving payments at a future time, the date chosen by the donor, which must be more than one year after the date of the contribution. As with immediate gift annuities, payments can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.

3. Flexible Annuity

Under a Flexible Gift Annuity (also known as a Deferred Payment Gift Annuity), the donor need not choose the payment starting date at the time of her contribution. The annuitant (who, remember, may or may not be the donor) can choose the payment starting date based on their retirement date or other considerations.

Jump Ball—Choosing Start Date of Deferred CGA

Under an immediate gift annuity, annuity payments begin no later than one year after the initial contribution.

A deferred gift annuity allows the donor to delay the start date of annuity payments. This delay will increase the annuity amount when payments begin and result in a larger income tax charitable deduction which is available in the year of the contribution (subject, as are all charitable donations, to Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limits).

A deferred gift annuity can produce current tax savings during high-earning years while creating a supplemental retirement income. Generally, the donor sets a date for the deferred gift annuity to begin. However, the IRS approved a deferred gift annuity which did not specify a fixed starting date for the annuity payments [IRS Ltr. Rul. 9743054].

March Madness Inspired: 64 Charitable Gifts of Non-Cash Assets

Don’t Foul Out—Charities Issuing CGAs Must Follow Certain Rules

CGAs are an exception to the general rule that charities cannot issue commercial insurance contracts. As such, charities which issue CGAs must comply with several rules. The basics of the rules may be simplified as follows:

  • The present value of the annuity must be less than 90 percent of the total value of the property transferred in exchange for the annuity. In other words, the charitable interest must be at least 10 percent.
  • The annuity cannot be payable over more than two lives, and the individual(s) must be alive at the time the gift annuity is set up.
  • The gift annuity agreement cannot specify a guaranteed minimum, nor a maximum, number of annuity payments.
  • The actual income produced by the property transferred in exchange for the gift annuity cannot affect the amount of the annuity payments.

Four Point Play—Tax Advantages

In basketball, a four-point play is a rare occasion when a player makes a three-point shot while being fouled. Similarly, it is rare for a charitable gift to offer four potential tax advantages to donors, as the CGA does. The CGA can have a positive effect on the donor’s charitable deductions, income taxes, capital gains taxes, and gift taxes.

slam dunk with a basketballFederal Income Tax Charitable Deduction

A CGA is considered part gift and part sale, as the donor contributes property in exchange for annuity payments from the charity. The donor who itemizes deductions on her taxes may take an income tax charitable deduction for the gift portion (i.e., the value of the transferred property minus the present value of the annuity).

This income tax charitable deduction is subject to the same limits as an outright gift of cash or property. For example, if cash is transferred for the CGA, the limitation of the deduction is 50 percent of the donor’s AGI. Or, if long-term capital gain property is transferred the limitation is 30 percent of AGI. Any deduction in excess of the applicable percentage limitation may be carried forward for five years.

What recordkeeping is required for charitable deduction?

Taxation of Payouts

The annuity payments by the charity under a CGA are treated for income tax purposes as follows:

  1. Tax-free return of principal
  2. Long-term capital gain
  3. Ordinary income

Let’s break each of these categories down.

Tax-Free Return of Principal

A portion of each payment received by the donor, or another annuitant, is a tax-free return of principal until the cost of the annuity is fully recovered when the annuitant reaches life expectancy. Put another way, a portion of the payments is considered to be a partial tax-free return of the donor’s gift, which are spread in equal payments over the life expectancy of the annuitant(s).

The assumed cost of the annuity does not include the gift portion of the transaction. The donor’s cost basis must be allocated between the gift and sale portions in accordance with the respective proportions of the value of the property transferred.

Long-Term Capital Gain

When a taxpayer sells long-term, appreciated property, such as stocks or real estate, she generally pays capital gains on the appreciation. If long-term, appreciated property funds a CGA, a portion of each payment will be taxed as long-term capital gain. This will reduce the income tax-free return of the principal portion of the annuity payments.

Under general tax rules, long-term capital gain is recognized in the year the property is sold. Capital gain is recognized only on the sale portion of the transaction and with the basis allocation previously described. However, with a CGA, the donor may spread the gain over life expectancy, assuming either a sole annuitant or the donor has another individual named as a survivor annuitant. It’s obviously beneficial for a donor to be able to defer capital gains taxes.

Case Study for St. Patrick’s Day: Save Some Green on Gifts of Long-Term Capital Assets

Ordinary Income

After the capital gain and tax-free portions of the annuity payment have been determined, the balance of the payment will be taxed as ordinary income.

Gift and Estate Taxation

If the donor is the sole annuitant, there are no gift or estate tax issues because both the annuity is her own and the annuity terminates at death. If the donor names anyone other than herself as an annuitant, gift and estate tax issues may arise.

Regarding the gift tax, if the donor names another person as an annuitant, the gift is the value of the annuity. An exception exists for a spouse under the gift tax marital deduction. Another alternative to avoid gift tax: the donor could retain the right to revoke when the named annuitant has a survivor interest.

Regarding the estate tax, if the donor names another person as an annuitant, the remaining value in the annuity is considered part of the donor’s estate. An exception exists for a joint annuity using only the donor’s life as the measuring life. Of course, there is also an estate tax marital deduction available if surviving annuitant is a spouse.

Low-Interest Rates = Higher Tax-Free Income

The Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) selection decision is more nuanced for gift annuities than for other planned gift tools. A donor who wants to maximize their deduction will select the highest rate available, but this reduces the overall value of the annuity and increases the amount of the charitable gift. Conversely, a donor who wants to maximize the income tax-free portion of the annuity payments will select the lowest available rate.

When the Clock Runs Out—Testamentary CGAs

If carefully planned, it is possible to arrange a CGA through a will. The IRS approved a testamentary gift annuity in Ltr. Rul. 8506089. It is crucial that both the bequest amount and annuity payout are made clear by the terms of the will.

A donor should engage an expert estate planning expert to handle the careful drafting needed for a testamentary CGA. A donor, together with his estate plan professional, should address two issues:

  1. What if the designated annuitant(s) predecease(s) the testator? (The testator is the person who makes the will).

The donor may want to specify a contingent annuitant or provide for an outright bequest to the charity.

2.    What about the payout rate?

The donor could (or should) leave the charity some flexibility in the payout rate, to assure the 10 percent minimum charitable interest requirement can be met in the future.

March Madness: A Charitable Giving Take on the Bracket

Winning Point

Donors and nonprofits can both score big with CGAs and this charitable tool can be a slam dunk for all parties!

The mission of Gordon Fischer Law Firm, P.C. is to promote and maximize charitable giving in Iowa. I offer training on complex gifts, like CGAs, for nonprofit boards, staff, and stakeholders. Contact me for a free one-hour consultation; I can always be reached at Gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com or at 515-371-6077.

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GoFisch: April Newsletter

man on tablet at table

The April edition of my GoFisch monthly newsletter went out today. Not a subscriber yet? Give it a glance here! This month featured:

Like what you read? You’re invited to subscribe to the monthly newsletter and know that I never send out spammy communications. Know a nonprofit leader, philanthropist, or anyone who needs an estate plan? Feel free to pass the newsletter along!

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March Madness: A Charitable Giving Take on the Bracket

basketball court with ball in hoop

Talk to anyone finalizing their bracket before the NCAA tournament tips off today with the first half of the First Four games and there are many different approaches—statistics and rankings; gut instinct; fan favorites; taking advice from computer simulations; and simply, the random dart throw.

For me, I would love if I could slate the Iowa Hawkeyes to win, but pure bias isn’t a great way to build a bracket, so I decided to take a different approach. Based on the mission of my law firm–to promote and maximize charitable giving in Iowa–I decided to incorporate that into my approach for this year’s NCAA tournament bracket. I compiled a list of the 68 colleges and universities’ endowment sizes and then built off our bracket off of that. So, the winner of each round has the greater endowment of the two teams which brings us to a clear winner. An unconventional way of bracketing? Sure. Totally plausible? Why not!

ncaa bracket 2019.Of course, I totally recognize that there’s no way that the size of a higher education institution’s endowment translates directly into athletic excellence. Would I pick Yale off the top of my head? Probably not. But, there is something to be said that charitable giving reaps benefits beyond the immediate, so maybe this isn’t such a shot in the dark!

3 Things #SelectionSunday Can Teach You About Estate Planning

While we’re at it, this is also a good opportunity to review what a college endowment actually is. No doubt you’ve heard of this term related to charitable giving before, but what is it actually?

Endowments: A Short Explanation

A college or university endowment fund invests charitable donations (of money or other assets, like stocks) with the goal of growing the principal amount. There are restrictions, limits, and particular details associated with endowments (but those deserve their own full blog post). In turn, the funds’ spending amounts can be spent on scholarships, facilities improvements, hiring talented personnel, and paying outstanding debts and expenses. Undoubtedly, colleges and universities foster planned giving programs and cultivate dedicated donors to continue to grow their endowments and thus grow their institution’s capabilities.

basketball game players

So, maybe the GFLF bracketing style isn’t so farfetched. The bigger the endowment could equate to greater scholarships (in both quantity and quality) or nicer athletic facilities which could translate into attracting more talented student-athletes.

How does your bracket stack up in comparison? I’d love to talk basketball or, better yet, about smart charitable giving to your favorite higher education institution could fit with your giving goals. Contact me in between the tournament games via email or by phone (515-371-6077)

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Tax Talk: Federal & State Differences on the Charitable Deduction Limitation

charitable contribution money

Spring ushers in so many great things: baseball season, blooming flowers, and baby animals. But, it also brings tax season (which can be a metaphorical rain cloud or rainbow depending on your personal situation). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed at the end of 2017, ushered in many federal changes that affect both estate planning and charitable giving. I’ve blogged about many of the provisions that can impact your estate planning (and why you should definitely review any existing estate plan), but what about some of the aspects of the new tax law that impact charitable giving? Because we’re not all tax attorneys or CPAs, let’s take this piece by piece and first explore the charitable deduction limitation increase for cash gifts and how it differs under federal and state law.

Case Study for St. Patrick’s Day: Save Some Green on Gifts of Long-Term Capital Assets

Differences Between Federal and State Tax Laws

While federal law has made several modifications, Iowa has not conformed to most of the recent changes to the charitable contribution deduction for state tax purposes. Quite obviously, this can cause confusion when strategically calculating planned giving.

Under federal tax law, the charitable deduction limitation, specifically for cash contributions to certain public charities and private foundations, has increased from 50% to 60% of an individual’s adjusted gross income (AGI) for the year.

This increase does not apply for Iowa tax purposes, however. If an individual’s federal deduction for cash contributions to qualifying public charities and public foundations exceeds 50% of the taxpayer’s AGI for the year, the individual must recalculate the charitable deduction to apply the 50% limitation for Iowa purposes.

25 Days of Giving: Donation Bunching

If this is still a bit confusing, fear not. We can work out a plan so that you can meet your charitable giving goals in a tax-beneficial way for the tax years moving forward. I offer a free, no-obligation consult, so don’t hesitate to contact me.

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3 Things #SelectionSunday Can Teach You About Estate Planning

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Selection Sunday 2017

1. If you understand #SelectionSunday, and #MarchMadness, you can most certainly understand estate planning.

When I meet people who say they’re confused about estate planning I love to see their faces when I tell them understanding the basics of wills, trusts, and even business succession planning may sound intimidating, but the basics are as simple as understanding NCAA March Madness. Seriously! Many folks know what teams are on the bubble, which teams were playing well at end of the season and which weren’t, what the most likely upsets are, and so on.NCAA Basketballs

Just like all those details are a part of #SelectionSunday and #NCAAMarchMadness, there are multiple inputs that go into a quality estate plan. For starters, there are your personal goals, the six main estate planning documents, and then personal considerations for, say, children, a family with special needs, pets, and charitable bequests. Feel free to read into these estate plan elements (like you would check out the stats of your favorite teams!) in between sweating out your bracket. And, speaking of your bracket…

2. If you have time to fill out a March Madness bracket (and you do), you also have time to fill out an Estate Plan Questionnaire.

Most everyone I know fills out a March Madness bracket in a (mostly) friendly competition with family, friends, co-workers, or sometimes all three. If you have time to fill out a bracket, why not also put serious thought into securing your future with estate planning? No, I’m not trying to guilt you. It’s just, again, it’s not that hard! You can find my Estate Plan Questionnaire here. It’s a great place to start.

March Madness Inspired: 64 Charitable Gifts of Non-Cash Assets

 3. Weird stuff happens.

We all know that a huge part of the fun of NCAA March Madness is the upsets. The super thrilling and/or gut-wrenching endings that shouldn’t have happened, but somehow did. It’s a reminder that life, for better or worse, is quite unpredictable. Why not make sure that plans are in place in case something unexpected happens?

6 Estate Planning Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

Want some more sports to legal analogies in your life? Check out this read on preparing your favorite nonprofit for top-notch compliance.

Regardless of who you’re slating to win it all, I would love to hear from you; let’s schedule an initial free one-hour consultation (at no obligation, of course). Email me at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com or give me a call at 515-371-6077.

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March Madness Inspired: 64 Charitable Gifts of Non-Cash Assets

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march madness basketball

Want to help make your favorite charity a winner? Encourage the charity to discuss the potential of charitable gifts of non-cash assets with donors. Donee charities can gain access to what has been called prospective donors’ “treasure chest” of non-cash assets. After all, the vast majority of a potential donor’s net worth will not be in cash, but in non-cash assets such as a home, retirement benefit plan, life insurance, etc.

Inspired by the start of NCAA March Madness, and the number of bracketed teams, here are 64 non-cash assets that could be used for charitable gifting.

Please note the alphabetized listing, I’m not recommending one gift over another, since so much depends on the individual circumstances of the donor.

airplane flying

  1. Airplanes
  2. Antique Automobiles
  3. Antiques
  4. Artwork
  5. Assets held by C Corporation
  6. Assets held by S Corporation
  7. Autograph Books
  8. Barn Doors
  9. Beach House
  10. Beanie Babies
  11. Boats
  12. Bonds
  13. Books
  14. C Corporation Stock
  15. Coin collections
  16. Comic books collection
  17. Commercial and residential real estate
  18. Condominiums
  19. Credit Card Rebates
  20. Depression-era Glass
  21. Dolls
  22. Enamelware
  23. Equestrian Ribbons
  24. Farmland
  25. Gold Bullion
  26. Grain
  27. Guitars
  28. Hedge Fund Carried Interest
  29. Historic Papers
  30. Installment Notes
  31. Intellectual Property
  32. Life Insurance
  33. Limited Liability Partnerships
  34. Livestock
  35. Marbles
  36. Mineral Rights
  37. MLB Team
  38. Mutual Funds
  39. Oil and Gas Interests
  40. Operating Partnership Units
  41. Paint-by-number Landscapes
  42. Painted Planks
  43. Paintings
  44. Patents
  45. Photographs
  46. Pooled Income Funds
  47. Racehorses
  48. Real estate
  49. Restricted Stock (144 and 145)
  50. Retained Life Estate
  51. Retirement benefits
  52. Royalties
  53. S Corporation Stock
  54. Sculpture
  55. Sculpture Garden
  56. Seat on New York Mercantile Stock Exchange
  57. Seats at Events
  58. Stamp Collection
  59. Stocks
  60. Tangible Personal Property
  61. Taxidermy
  62. Timber Deeds
  63. Vacation Home
  64. Vehicles

Vintage blue car

Pretty exhaustive list right? Like stamps and dolls, there are so many assets that you likely never even considered could be a charitable gift. And, that’s where I come in and can assist! If you’re a donor or donee nonprofit do not ever hesitate to contact me. I can always be reached at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com and 515-371-6077.

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101 Assets You Could Place in a Trust

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Businessman taking notes and planning in a meeting

Q: How many elephants will fit into a Minivan?

A: Four: Two in the front, two in the back.

Q: How many giraffes will fit into a Minivan?

A: None. It’s full of elephants.

Jokes aside, you can fit just about any asset into a trust. Here is a “short” list of assets actually placed into trusts:

  1. Airplanes
  2. Antique automobiles
  3. Antiques
  4. Artwork
  5. Assets held by C Corporation
  6. Assets held by S Corporation
  7. Autographed books
  8. Barn doors
  9. Beach house
  10. Beanie Babies
  11. Boats
  12. Bonds
  13. Books
  14. Bookstore
  15. Boxes
  16. Boxing gloves
  17. Broadway musical
  18. C Corporation stock
  19. Cheese shoppe
  20. Chocolate store specializing in “I love chocolate” t-shirts
  21. Chocolate store specializing in baking chocolate
  22. Chocolate store specializing in bars of chocolate
  23. Chocolate store specializing in candy-coated chocolate
  24. Chocolate store specializing in chocolate and almonds
  25. Chocolate store specializing in chocolate mixed with peanut butter
  26. Chocolate store specializing in couverture chocolate
  27. Chocolate store specializing in dark chocolate
  28. Chocolate store specializing in milk chocolate
  29. Chocolate store specializing in organic chocolate
  30. Chocolate store specializing in hot chocolate
  31. Chocolate store specializing in liqueurs chocolate
  32. Chocolate store specializing in semi dark chocolate
  33. Chocolate store specializing in sweet chocolate
  34. Chocolate store specializing in white chocolate
  35. Chocolate store* (You’re now probably quizzically asking, “Should I send Gordong chocolate?”)
  36. Coin collections
  37. Comic books collection
  38. Commercial and residential real estate
  39. Condominiums
  40. Credit card rebates
  41. Cupcakery
  42. Depression-era glass
  43. Dolls
  44. Enamelware
  45. Equestrian ribbons
  46. Farmland
  47. Ghosts
  48. Gold bullion
  49. Grain
  50. Guitars
  51. Hedge fund carried interest
  52. Historic papers
  53. Installment notes
  54. Intellectual property
  55. Law firm
  56. Life insurance
  57. Limited liability partnerships
  58. Livestock
  59. Marbles
  60. Mineral rights
  61. Monica (my wife)
  62. Moonstone
  63. Music store
  64. Mutual funds
  65. NHL team
  66. Oil and gas interests
  67. Olives
  68. Operating partnership units
  69. Paint-by-number landscapes
  70. Painted planks
  71. Paintings
  72. Patents
  73. Photographs
  74. Pickles
  75. Pooled income funds
  76. Racehorses
  77. Real estate
  78. Restaurant
  79. Restricted stock (144 and 145)
  80. Retained life estate
  81. Retirement benefits
  82. Royalties
  83. S Corporation stock
  84. Sculpture
  85. Sculpture garden
  86. Sea urchins
  87. Seat on New York Mercantile Stock Exchange
  88. Seats at events
  89. Snow globes
  90. Soda pop bottles
  91. Spirits of the damned
  92. Stamp Collection
  93. Stocks
  94. Tangible personal property
  95. Taxidermy
  96. Teddy bears
  97. Timber deeds
  98. Vacation home
  99. Vehicles
  100. Violin
  101. Wines

*Yes, this is a cry for help. I love sweets, especially chocolate, way too much.

Four Major Ways to Classify Trusts

Why put assets in trust?

There can be many reasons to use a trust, and specific benefits can accrue from specific trusts. In general, there are four great reasons to initiate a trust.

1. Save money

Using a trust, you avoid probate, which can save you lots of money. Probate will generally take two percent-plus of your estate, and even “just” two percent of your entire estate can add up to a lot of money. Avoiding probate also helps you avoid fees, costs, and taxes.

2. Save time

timer with sand in it

Using a trust, you avoid probate, which can save you lots of time. Going through probate, even here in Iowa, can take several months, to a year, or even more. Your heirs and beneficiaries may not receive their inheritances until the end of this probate process. Again, with trusts, you bypass probate. With trusts, your beneficiaries can get their inheritances in mere days, or weeks, rather than several months.

3. Flexibility of distributions

Don’t want your 18-year-old to inherit half-a-million dollars in one fell swoop? I agree it’s not a good idea. Trusts offer flexibility for the payout of inheritances. You set the ground rules of when and how distributions are made. For example, you might decide your children can receive distributions at certain ages. (For example, one-third at age 25, one-third at age 30, and the remaining at age 40). Or, you might decide your children can receive distributions at the attainment of certain milestones, such as marriage, the birth of a child, buying a first home, or receiving a certain degree

4. Privacy

Probate proceedings are public. Your will, once you pass and it is filed in court, is a public record. Some desire privacy about financial matters (say, about their family business) even after death.

Also, privacy can prevent hurt feelings among family members. For example, do you really want your Cousin Joe to know he received significantly less than all the other cousins?

What are the drawbacks to a trust?

It’s more expensive to set up a trust than basic estate plan documents, although I would say those costs are greatly outweighed by the money you’ll save your estate in the end. It’s also a bit of an administrative hassle, as your assets (such as car, house, stock funds, etc.) have to be retitled in the name of the trust. Again, though, I believe this inconvenience is much outweighed by the smooth operation of a trust at death.

Let’s talk about trusts!

(Legal) Word of the Day: Trust

Have an asset that didn’t make the list of 101 items? It can probably still go in a trust (even if it isn’t chocolate related!). Sometimes it’s hard to know if a trust may be right for your personal situation. It certainly doesn’t hurt to take me up on my offer for a free one-hour consultation. Give me a call at 515-371-6077 or shoot me an email at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com.

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(Legal) Word of the Day: Quid Pro Quo

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pen on desk

You’ve probably heard it before on your favorite law show or movie court case, but do you know what “quid pro quo” actually means?

Quid pro quo (“something for something” in Latin) means an exchange of goods or services, where one transfer is contingent upon the other.

Quid pro quo can have different meanings in different areas of the law. For instance, we typically hear this phrase in relation to employment law. So, in the arena of philanthropy and nonprofits, what does quid pro quo mean?

A charitable donation is deductible to the extent the donation exceeds the value of any goods or services received in exchange. So what happens when you donate to your favorite charity and receive something tangible in return? This is the issue of “quid pro quo” in charitable gift law.

giving gift

Quid Pro Quo Example

If a donor gives a charity $100 and receives an opera ticket valued at $40, the donor has made a quid pro quo contribution. In this example, the charitable contribution part of the payment is $60. The donor is entitled to a charitable deduction for $60, but not the entire $100.

Both the donor and donee have a responsibility here. The donor, of course, can only deduct the cost of the donation less the value of the goods/services received. The charitable organization must provide their donors clear, written documentation of the value of donations.

In fact, in these quid pro quo situations, under IRS rules, the nonprofit must provide a written disclosure statement. This required written disclosure statement must both:

• Inform the donor that the amount of the contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of any money (and the value of any property other than money) contributed by the donor over the value of goods or services provided by the charity.

• Provide the donor with a good faith estimate of the value of the goods or services that the donor received.

Free Consultation

Thinking about making a donation or looking for guidance regarding gift acceptance at your nonprofit, no quid pro quo is required! I offer a free one-hour consultation, with absolutely no obligation. I can always be reached by email at Gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com, and by phone at 515-371-6077.

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3 Must-Reads: Estate Planning Made Simple

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Gordon Fischer Estate Planning Simple

You know you need an estate plan, but you still don’t understand really what you need or where to start. What to do? I’m here to help and it’s one of my personal missions to break down estate planning so it’s as easy and accessible as possible.

Here are three blog posts, all relatively short and simple, that should help.

First, I provide the very basics of estate planning which features the six “must have” estate planning documents everyone needs.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Estate Planning

For many, the six “must have” estate planning documents is enough. Some Iowans will also want or need a trust.

Second, here are the basics of what you need to know about trusts.

Trusts can be needed and utilized for a number of reasons. Perhaps someone’s assets are too large, too numerous, and/or too complicated and a trust is needed. Perhaps the person simply has a desire to avoid probate. Trusts can also provide a measure of privacy that, say, wills, do not.

Four Major Ways to Classify Trusts

Third, you may ask, how does someone go about actually getting these documents? What’s the process of putting together an estate plan? Well, probably every lawyer has a different estate planning process. I naturally prefer mine – I think it’s very client-focused and client-friendly, and allows plenty of give and take between me and you. We’ll have an ongoing dialogue between us to ensure the best plan for you. Really, it only takes five steps to have a full and complete estate plan.

Estate Planning: Just Five Easy Steps from Start to Finish

Let’s Talk.

After reading these posts you may still have questions or will want to discuss your personal estate situations. I would love to schedule a time to meet or discuss over the phone. Shoot me an email or give me a call and we’ll start the conversation on what YOU need to leave a lasting legacy and secure future for your loved ones.

If you’re feeling good and want to get started on your estate plan, the best place to begin is with my free, no-obligation Estate Plan Questionnaire.

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