Skip to content

Financial Planning Insights

Charitable Giving Series: Part VI of VI on Using Charitable Remainder Trusts to Defer Taxes and Maximize Wealth

by Joe Maier and Bob Schneider

5 minute read time

SUMMARY

This is the sixth and final part of our charitable giving series. In our last article, we met the Joneses, a successful couple with a significant net worth. Their priorities are exclusively focused on legacy. However, they have such a disdain for paying taxes, they are willing to adjust their goals to avoid tax. We previously learned how the Joneses used a charitable lead trust to avoid estate taxes. In this article, we will see how the Joneses can use a charitable remainder trust to defer income taxes, thereby increasing their personal wealth.

So let’s revisit the Joneses. Ed, 60, and Ruth, 56, own a business that they are in negotiations to sell. Ed and Ruth also personally own the underlying business’ real estate. The real estate has a cost basis of $50,000 and the buyers have offered the Joneses $2,500,000.

The “Typical” Plan

The Joneses love that price and have decided to sell the real estate. They understand that, when they sell, the difference between the $2,500,000 proceeds and their $50,000 basis will be taxed at a combined (federal and state) 25% capital gains rate. After paying a $612,500 tax bill, they will have $1,887,500 to reinvest.

The Joneses have met with their advisors and understand that they could defer the taxation on the real estate by reinvesting the proceeds in new parcels of real estate in a tax-free exchange. While that tax deferral is attractive, they have no interest in real estate as an ongoing investment. So, the question becomes, within the context of their goals of providing for themselves and their family, is there another planning tool that provides similar tax deferral (and thereby more wealth for themselves and less taxes for the government)?

Using a Charitable Remainder Trust as a Wealth Maximization Tool

As we learned in the last article, the tax code provides charitable planning tools to donors that can be used not only to benefit charity but as a way to enhance personal and family wealth. One example of such a tool, as we learned in the last article is a charitable lead trust. Another is a charitable remainder trust (CRT).

What Is a Charitable Remainder Trust?

Simply put, a CRT is “split interest trust,” meaning that both charities and human beings have economic interests in the trust. With a CRT, people (generally the donor and the donor’s family) have the first economic interests. The charity, in turn, has an interest in what is left over when the family interests terminate. The family interest could be for a period of years or for one or more lifetimes. Generally, the family interest requires the trust to make annual distributions to the family beneficiary. Those distributions are either a set amount (what is known as a charitable remainder annuity trust or CRAT) or a set percentage of the trust’s assets (what is known as a charitable remainder unitrust or CRUT). The advantage of the CRAT (the annuity type) for the family beneficiary is certainty, whereas the advantage of the CRUT (the unitrust type) is the possibility of growth.

When the donor transfers property to a charitable remainder trust, there is a tax deduction equal to the value of the charity’s remainder interest; the larger the value of the family interest (i.e., larger payments, longer duration or both), the lower the charity’s interest and thereby the lower the tax deduction. Critically, the CRT is income tax exempt. When the CRT engages in what would be taxable transactions, the CRT owes no income tax. Rather, the family beneficiary incurs that tax as annual distributions are made.

These somewhat complex relationships are best illustrated with an example, so let’s return to the Joneses.

How a CRT Helps Attain the Joneses’ Goals

As highlighted above, the Joneses could sell their real estate and have almost $1.9 million available to invest to help meet their goals. Or the Joneses could create and contribute the real estate to a CRT. If they did so, the CRT would be able to invest the entire $2,500,000 of sales proceeds.

  • Assume the Joneses create the CRT to be a 10% unitrust and invest the sales proceeds in a balanced portfolio.
  • Assume between interest, dividends and capital appreciation, the CRT grows in value to $2,625,000 by the end of the year (a 5% growth rate).
  • Mr. and Mrs. Jones would receive a first year unitrust payment of $262,500, taxed at ordinary income rates first for any interest income and capital gains rates for the remainder.
  • This continues each year with the Joneses receiving 10% of the end of year trust value.

After twenty-five years, assuming the sales proceeds grow at 5%, the Joneses will end up with $1.2 million more than if they just sold the real estate AND the charity of their choice will receive $700,000. Like the testamentary CLT highlighted in the last article, the Joneses can use the tax code to give more and get more.

Conclusion

Clients are happiest when their assets and income are used to meet their wishes, hopes, dreams and desires. For the Howards, that meant using a portion of their wealth to meet important philanthropic objectives. For the Joneses, that meant using the tax code to give more in order to maximize the ability to meet independence and legacy goals. For both clients, it was important that their planning team understood that financial success is a blend of behavior, tax minimization and investment performance. It is critical that you engage a team with a similar mindset and skills.

Charitable Giving Series

icon-swipe Swipe Right
Us dollars wrapped in bow

Start with “Why”: Choosing the Right Approach to Charitable Giving

Given the significant interest in philanthropy, it’s no surprise that the internet has plenty of questionable material on the subject—advising and educating (and often advocating) about direct giving vs. donor-advised funds vs. private foundations. These articles focus on the how, including costs, control, tax benefits, ongoing burden and legacy.

READ MORE about choosing the right approach for charitable giving.
hand holding money present

Direct Giving: Choosing the Right Charitable Giving Approach

This article continues our six-part series on charitable giving. In the first installment , we explained the importance of establishing the why before focusing on the how. Now, we’ll take our first step into the how, with a discussion on the simplest method: direct giving.

READ MORE about direct giving to a charitable cause.
three sets of hands holding heart

Using Donor Advised Funds to Make a Philanthropic Impact

This is the third article in a six-part series on charitable giving. In this article we explore when a charitable mission is best met by contributing to a donor advised fund.

READ MORE more about using donor advised funds to make a philanthropic impact.
elderly man and little girl holding up heart frame

Using Private Foundations to Build a Family Culture of Philanthropy

This is part four of our six-part series on charitable giving. In this article, we focus on why people use private foundations to execute their charitable mission.

READ MORE about Using Private Foundations to Build a Family Culture of Philanthropy.
granddaughter hugging grandmother from behind

Charitable Giving Designed to Enhance Non-Charitable Goals: Understanding Testamentary Charitable Lead Trusts

This is the fifth part of a six-part series on charitable giving. The previous articles all focused on the Howards, a couple that had a charitable mission inspired by their son James’ childhood cancer. The Howards were prototypical charitable donors; their philanthropy was driven by a cause, and they used the tax code to enhance their impact.

READ MORE about Understanding Testamentary Charitable Lead Trusts
three generations taking selfie

Using Charitable Remainder Trusts to Defer Taxes and Maximize Wealth

This is the sixth and final part of our charitable giving series. In our last article, we met the Joneses, a successful couple with a significant net worth. Their priorities are exclusively focused on legacy. However, they have such a disdain for paying taxes, they are willing to adjust their goals to avoid tax.

READ MORE Using Charitable Remainder Trusts to Defer Taxes and Maximize Wealth

by Joe Maier

Joe has extensive experience helping high‐net worth individuals, family offices, business owners and corporate executives meet their wealth and legacy goals. His areas of specific interest and skill include business succession planning, financial and estate planning, and wealth transfer strategies.

READ MORE

by Bob Schneider

Bob Schneider specializes in providing clients with the educational information and tools necessary to make informed decisions regarding their financial planning goals. He uses his financial planning experience to help individuals and families plan for and enjoy their retirement years.

READ MORE