Charitable Remainder Trusts
Planning for Income and a Charitable Gift Legacy
Many of our clients have one of more favorite causes, and wish to support that charity after their death. Of course, most of our clients also feel an obligation to their heirs. It is possible to provide for both with one asset preservation instrument.
Armor Trust Attorneys of Raleigh, North Carolina, invites you to discuss establishing a charitable trust to meet your goals. We serve clients in the greater Triangle area, including Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, and Apex. You can reach our estate planning lawyer, Erica Ferranti, at (919) 571-4398.
Exploring Charitable Gift Planning Options
If you wish to honor the family name through a bequest to a charity or non-profit organization, there are two primary methods:
- A straight charitable trust exists solely as an endowment that produces income for the charity. A trustee of your choosing manages the trust, but the designated charity is the only beneficiary of distributions.
- A charitable remainder trust, however, is primarily a vehicle for stewardship of family assets. It pays a stream of defined income to designated heirs, and any excess amount left over goes to the named charitable cause to spend or invest.
- A charitable lead trust differs from a remainder trust because the assets are gifted to the trust during the grantor's life, removing it from the grantor's estate. The charity receives the income from the trust during the grantor's life and at the grantor's death the property in the trust passes to the grantor's designated heirs.
Both types of trusts are typically funded by a charitable gift of highly appreciated stock or real estate, but other funding mechanisms can apply. Contact Armor Trust Attorneys to arrange an appointment convenient for you.
