Charitable Lead Trusts - Maintain wealth while giving income

The charitable lead trust is a gift of income to your Local Council. You select the assets to place in trust, and the length of time that your trust will last. Income from the trust is paid to Scouting for the length of time and purposes that you specify. When the trust terminates, the assets (the trust principal) are returned to you or distributed to whomever you choose, and are received tax-free.

This trust is a specialized estate-planning tool. It is especially valuable if you have substantial estate and gift tax liabilities because it allows you to achieve several goals through one gift. You can make a significant gift that can be used now for Scouting, and transfer assets to subsequent generations with reduced or eliminated estate, inheritance, and gift taxes.

It is possible that the trust income will be excluded from your annual taxable income for the duration of the trust. Though this is not always possible with a charitable lead trust, we would be happy to discuss how to structure a lead trust for maximum benefit to you and your family.

The lead trust is generally a lifetime gift; however, you can establish a testamentary lead trust that would provide benefits to your estate similar to those you would enjoy during your lifetime.

Questions? Please contact:
Michele Bisceglie at michele.bisceglie@scouting.org or 301-214-9114.