It’s a variation on the rule that allows those 70½ and older to transfer as much as $100,000 per year from their traditional IRAs to charity. The provision last expired at the end of 2011. In the tax deal enacted this week, Congress has extended it through 2013, with a brief window of opportunity for 2012 donations.

Unless an IRA is a Roth, the account owner must take yearly minimum required distributions starting at age 70½ and pay tax on the distribution. With the charitable IRA rollover, as it is called, the donation can count against the minimum required distribution he/she would otherwise be required to take.

Instead of taking money out of an IRA, the owner asks the custodian of the account to send a certain sum directly to charity. Annual minimum distributions have to be taken by December 31st. Congress carved out a compromise for 2012 donations. It only applies to taxpayers who delayed taking their IRA distributions until December. If they donate cash to charity between now and Jan. 31, they can have it count to satisfy all or part of their 2012 minimum required distribution. In 2013, you must ask the IRA custodian to send the distribution directly to the charity.
While there is no income tax deduction for the donor’s contributions, the sum going to charity is not included in gross income

IRA funds donated this way can not be used for contributions to donor-advised funds, supporting organizations or private non-operating foundations. Otherwise, the money can go to any organization to which you can make a gift that would qualify as a charitable deduction on your tax return.

This is not personal tax or legal advice. Please speak to your lawyer or financial advisor.

To donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group, visit www.vrg.org/donate, call (410) 366-8343, or write to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Please donate and support vegetarian outreach by clicking here and writing
“matching donation” in the Comments field:
[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

You can also donate by calling (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday, Eastern
Time, or mailing a check to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box
1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

If you want to mail in a form, you can use this one.

MATCHING DONATION
_____ Enclosed is a $25 donation.

_____ Enclosed is $100 (a matched total of $200) for continued outreach
to young people.

_____ Enclosed is $500 life membership or ___ $500 donation
(matched contribution of $1,000)

_____ Enclosed is $1,000 to print and mail out a VRG vegan version of
the USDA My Plate. (a matched total of $2,000)

_____ Enclosed is $1,500 towards Save Our Water — The Vegetarian Way
brochure, Vegan Diets in a Nutshell brochure, and Be Kind to
Animals – Don’t Eat Them bumper stickers. (a matched total
of $3,000)

_____ Enclosed is $2,500 towards continued outreach to dietitians and
foodservice staff, and promotion of vegan diets on the VRG
website to over 160,000 people per month. (a matched total
of $5,000!)

_____ Enclosed is $5,000. Please enroll me in VRG’s Circle of
Compassion. (a matched total of $10,000)

_____ Enclosed is $25,000 to be a Project Sponsor.

Thank you.

How to Use Life Insurance to Donate to Charity

Your will and life insurance policies enable you to protect your family and also to provide a way to give long-lasting support to causes in which you believe. Naming The Vegetarian Resource Group in your will, life insurance policy, or IRA’S will enable us to increase our work for vegetarianism.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is a tax-exempt organization. Your bequests are tax deductible for federal estate tax purposes.

One suggested form of bequest is:

I give and bequeath to The Vegetarian Resource Group, Baltimore, Maryland, the sum of ______________ dollars (or if stock, land, or insurance policy, please describe).

To be sure your wishes are carried out, please speak with your attorney specifically about writing the correct information in your will. If you would like to discuss the types of future projects you wish to support, contact Debra Wasserman or Charles Stahler at vrg@vrg.org, The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 or call (410) 366-8343.

Please also remember VRG in other workplace fund drives, matching gifts, etc.! Federal government employees can support The Vegetarian Resource Group through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Look for us under Health & Medical Research Charities of America.

We are also participating in the California State Employees Charitable Campaign. If you are a California State employee, please support Vegetarian Resource Group outreach.

Please also remember VRG in other workplace fund drives, matching gifts, etc.!