Gifts through your IRA

You may be looking for a way to make a big difference to help further Respite Care Charleston’s mission. If you are 70½ or older, you may also be interested in a way to lower the income and taxes from your IRA withdrawals. An IRA charitable rollover is a way you can help continue RCC’s work while receiving tax benefits yourself.

Benefits of an IRA charitable rollover

  • Avoid taxes on direct transfers of up to $108,000 from your IRA to Respite Care Charleston
  • Reduce your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions
  • Satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the year
  • Make a gift that is not subject to the deduction limits on charitable gifts
  • Help further the work and mission of Respite Care Charleston

Action Steps

To make a gift from your IRA, contact your IRA administrator(for example, Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.) and ask the representative to send a check in the amount you desire (up to $108,000) payable to Respite Care Charleston. You can download a sample letter and instructions (PDF) for requesting a charitable distribution from your IRA administrator.

As an alternative method, some brokerage firms allow you to write a check from your IRA, payable directly to a qualified charity.

Checks should be mailed to:
Respite Care Charleston
1605 Harbor View Road
Charleston, SC 29412

If you are sending your gift through an IRA administrator, it is helpful if you also email us (sara@respitecarecharleston.org) and provide the following:

  • Your name and address
  • The amount of your gift
  • The name of the IRA administrator (Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.)
  • Your gift designation (if any)

Contact us

If you have any questions about an IRA charitable rollover gift, please contact us: 843-647-7405. We would be happy to assist you and answer any questions you might have.

*The material presented on this website is not offered as legal or tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor, financial planner, or attorney about the legal and tax benefits of any gift to Respite Care Charleston.

Sample IRA Distribution Letter Instructions

First, contact your IRA administrator and see if they have a form that you can use to make an IRA direct charitable gift request. If that is not available, we offer a sample letter that can be used to request a direct distribution from an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) to Respite Care Charleston and other important charities. (This sort of gift is only available to individuals who are over age 70½.)

You may print the sample letter and simply fill in the blanks by hand as follows:

  1. Enter the name and address of your IRA custodian/administrator.
  2. Enter the date.
  3. Enter your IRA account number.
  4. Enter the amount you wish to transfer to RCC.
  5. State where you would like the gift to be directed.
  6. Include a phone number or email address where you can be contacted.
  7. Sign the letter, print your name as the Plan Owner, and include your return mailing address.

We recommend keeping a copy of the letter for your records. Remember, this sort of gift is NOT income to you and, therefore, it is NOT tax-deductible. Nonetheless, the gift counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). This is a great option for anyone who does not itemize charitable deductions and/or anyone who does not want to incur additional RMD income.