Donating Your Collection to Charity 

 

Disclaimer: This is not legal advise. The information in this article may be inaccurate or out of date. Please consult a professional Account or Lawyer before making any decisions regarding your estate. Thanks. 

Involvement in collecting and philanthropic acts
In 2014, the United States donated 358 billion dollars to charities, with 75 percent of the gifts coming from individuals.
The motivations for philanthropic acts can vary widely, from pure benevolence to a desire for recognition. Tax benefits from charity contributions can be obtained whether you believe in it or not. Donors are rewarded for their generosity through tax regulations, which incentivize them to give even more. People who contribute large sums of money to charity organizations do so in the hopes of deducting the value of their contributions from their taxes.

Gifting
Charitable donations are the most tax-efficient way to give. There should be no charitable deductions for property that has fallen below its initial market value.
This is because your deductions are based on the property's fair market value rather than the price you paid when you bought it. The $50,000 deduction will be available to you even if you donate $50,000 to a charity but originally only spent $10,000 on the investment. Charitable donations can be used to invest in things that appreciate in value, such as stocks and bonds. Consider consulting with your tax planner, financial advisor and attorney if you plan on making a charitable donation. This is due to the fact that the regulations are more intricate than I am able to convey in this space. To be eligible for any of the tax benefits, though, you must have a high-value collection that you want to gift.
There are no unrestricted capital gains on the donated objects
A year's worth of donations must have gone into the donation. It can't be anything you made yourself, because then only the cost of the materials would be deducted from the total cost of the project.

A registered public charity, as is the donee
There is a portion of the public's support for public charities. Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code contains a list of all the different types of donee organizations, along with information on how to comply with each one's specific standards.

Donations must be put to "related use" by the recipient organization.
When contributing a physical item, it's imperative that you make sure it's relevant to the charity you're supporting. A fair market value contribution would be donating a coin collection to the American Numismatic Society for the purpose of displaying it and expanding their museum. You can deduct solely the cost of acquisition if you gift a coin collection to a hospital that intends to sell the collection and use the money to benefit the hospital instead of displaying it. If you have any questions about this, it's a good idea to consult with your financial counselor, tax planner, and attorney.

A "qualified appraisal" has been completed on the collection.
An appraisal is required by the IRS if the donation involves property valued more than $5,000. Afterwards, the IRS will request a copy of the signed appraisal that is then attached to the tax return for gifts valued at property than $20,000. You should consult with your tax expert if you have any questions regarding whether or not the appraisal qualifies.

Charitable Giving's Other Problems
When it comes to collectibles, most charities don't have a lot of experience, so think carefully about how your donation will be put to use.
Your collection will usually be sold to raise money if it is the only option. The only exception to this rule is when you contribute a collection that can be displayed or used in research. If you can get past the inconvenience of giving your collection, you will reap the rewards of doing so.

The Five-Year Carryover and Other Restrictions

Making a donation that is equal to your monthly salary has the following effects. The IRS does set a ceiling on the amount of charity income tax deductions you can claim. If you donate to a qualifying public charity and it is also deemed a connected gift, you can deduct up to 30% of your own adjusted gross income from the fair market value of the donation. If you donate to a qualified charity for a non-related purpose, you may be eligible to receive up to 50% of your adjusted gross income as a tax credit. But you can carry over your excess deductions for only 5 years, so make sure you don't do this until you've used up all your available deductions.

Donating a little portion of your ownership
The term "fractional giving" refers to donating over the course of several years a portion of the value of a collection that you own. Your charitable tax deduction will be based on the percentage of your gift that you give to the organization that you support. In addition to benefiting the public institution, the donor's inheritance and capital gains are tax-deductible thanks to this. The tax deduction will allow you to keep your collection for a period of time while still reaping the benefits.
Donors will be required to give away their whole collection within 10 years, or if they die within that time period, under the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Check with an expert if this is something you'd like to accomplish before making a final decision.

Trusts for the Charitable Distribution of the Assets Left in the Estate

CRTs, or charitable remainder trusts, are a good option if you want to receive a tax advantage while also donating your collection right away.
It's a good option if you're no longer committed to your collection and its value has increased significantly since you bought it. If this is the case, the donation you make will go to a charity that qualifies as a Trust. As part of your agreement, the charity will pay you on an annual basis for a predetermined number of years (up to life) or a fixed percentage of the trust's total worth.

Other Trust Differences
If you don't get the trust drafted correctly, you may miss out on all of the tax advantages that are available to you. You need a professional in order to avoid any future problems. Once a trust is established, it cannot be revoked and only minor adjustments can be made to the property without causing harm. CRATs, GRUTs, and CRUTs are a few of the charitable remainder trust's variants, each with their own name. An income tax deduction can be claimed after transferring your valuables to the trust. Acquiring the services of a trained appraiser who is well-versed in irs regulations and is capable of evaluating the property's value is a wise decision.

There are tight standards in place by the IRS governing the appraiser and the credentials of the assessor. This means that if you've possessed the collection or assets for more than a year, you'll get a deduction for the fair market value of the items discounted over that time period. My recommendation is that you speak with your legal panning team to obtain more information or to see if this is the right option for you.