Charitable remainder trust

Charitable remainder trust

An irrevocable trust that pays income to a designated person or persons until the grantor's death, when the income is passed on to a designated charity. A charitable lead trust by contrast allows the charity to receive income during the grantor's life, and the remaining income to pass to designated family members upon the grantor's death.

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charitable remainder trust

A trust that pays an income to one or more individuals for a specified length of time then leaves the remainder of the trust to a designated charity. A charitable remainder trust can produce substantial tax benefits and is particularly suitable for use by a married couple with no children. Compare charitable lead trust.

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Charitable remainder trust. A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is an irrevocable trust designed to provide income to you or a beneficiary for either a fixed period or until the recipient dies. At that point, all remaining assets go to the charity named as ultimate beneficiary.

At the time you establish the trust, you can deduct the discounted present value of the assets as a charitable contribution. That value The value, which is calculated using IRS tables, may be less than the market value of these assets.

Transferring assets in a CRT not only reduces the value of your estate for estate tax purposes but also eliminates potential capital gains tax on any increased value of the assets.