In this year of the Centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, to honor Him and follow His example, the Office of the Treasurer would like to help as many friends as possible write or update their will and testament. Click below to view a short video about the writing of a will and testament:
Believers age 70 ½ and older may make a direct transfer from their traditional IRA to the National Spiritual Assembly for an amount not to exceed $100,000 per year as a non-taxable event. This allows believers who are required to take a minimum distribution to contribute an amount of their choice to the National Baha’i Fund while taking advantage of the tax benefit.
For example, if you take a distribution from your traditional IRA and with that money make a contribution to the Fund, you will still pay taxes on the full distribution amount. However, if you instruct your IRA administrator to transfer the amount of your contribution directly to the National Spiritual Assembly, you will pay taxes only on the part of the distribution that you receive for yourself. As a result, your taxable income will be lowered and there can be additional money left over that can be put towards the Fund.
For more information about the IRA Charitable Rollover, contact the Office of the Treasurer at 847-733-3472 or BahaiTreasurersOffice(at)usbnc.org
Disclaimer: This option is not intended as nor should be relied upon as financial advice. For advice or assistance with your particular situation, please consult a professional advisor.
Another financial instrument to consider when contributing to the funds of the Faith is a donor-advised fund (DAF). With a donor-advised fund, you can contribute cash and/or appreciated securities, claim a deduction for that year, and grow your contribution tax free over a number of years. You can establish a DAF at a financial institution or qualified community foundation. Another benefit of the DAF option is a consolidated tax document with all your charitable giving.
The gift annuity is an irrevocable gift to the National Spiritual Assembly that allows the donor to leave a material and spiritual legacy to the Bahá'í Faith, while ensuring a fixed lifetime income after the age of 60, and the minimum amount to establish an annuity is $10,000.00 which can be by cash or appreciated securities. There are also two tax benefits: 1) The donor gets a charitable tax deduction for a portion of the gift in the year the gift was made and 2) A portion of the income received is tax-free.
Please note: this program is not available in Washington, New Jersey, or Alabama.
For more information about the charitable gift annuity, contact the Office of the Treasurer at 847-733-3569 or bahaitreasurersoffice(at)usbnc.org
“…it should be noted that the question of the will is of extreme importance: everyone should devote the most serious attention to drawing up a will, so that there should be no one who doth not have a will. This is one of the binding laws of this mighty Dispensation. We ask God to bestow a blessing upon your affairs so that they may prosper abundantly.” - ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
As the Centenary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá approaches, the Office of the Treasurer is asking the friends, in commemoration of this occasion and out of love for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to complete their will and testament.
“The Writing of a Will and Testament” is a booklet that was prepared to help the friends gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the law of writing a will. The booklet can be downloaded when you sign in using your Bahá'í ID and password at www.bahai.us/community/resources/planned-giving, or contact us at bahaitreasurersoffice(at)usbnc.org or call 847-733-3569 to request a copy.
Planned giving plays a significant role in supporting the National Bahá’í Fund. One of the options available for making a contribution is through the IRA Charitable Rollover. This popular consideration allows believers age 70 ½ and older to make a direct transfer from their Traditional IRA to the National Spiritual Assembly for an amount not to exceed $100,000 per year as a non-taxable event. For additional information please click on Planned Giving at bahai.us/fund, email plannedgiving (at) usbnc.org, or call Amin Vargha at 847-733-3569.
One of the helpful options for supporting the work of the Cause is giving through stocks. The friends can also enjoy some tax benefits that come with giving through this option. To learn more, contact the Planned Giving Coordinator at:
Tel: 847 733 3569
Email: plannedgiving@usbnc.org
Please share this information with the friends, particularly anyone over 70 years of age:
Individuals age 70 ½ and older can make a direct transfer of an amount up to $100,000.00 per year, from their IRA to the National Spiritual Assembly as a non-taxable event. This option benefits the National Bahá'í Fund, and can be a great tax savings for the donor. Please note, no additional deduction is permitted for this contribution.
In order to participate in the IRA Charitable Rollover the following criteria must be met:
*The donor must be at least 70½ years of age when the direct transfer is made
*The transfer must be made directly from the IRA administrator to the National Spiritual Assembly, Tax ID 36-2981492, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
*A contribution from the IRA can be any dollar amount but cannot exceed $100,000 per person in a given year
*The direct transfer must be an outright contribution ( i.e establishing a charitable gift annuity with these funds is not permitted).
*Funds from a 401k do not apply
For additional information regarding the IRA Charitable Rollover please contact: Beverly Abercrombie, Planned Giving Coordinator, at 847-733-3495 or babercrombie@usbnc.org or Amin Vargha, Planned Giving Associate, at 847-733-3495 or avargha@usbnc.org.
The charitable gift annuity program (CGA) is a great option for consideration if you are between the ages of 25 and 101 and have $10,000 with which you can make an irrevocable gift to the National Spiritual Assembly, for the purpose of establishing a CGA. The decision to participate in the program offers you the privilege of leaving a legacy to the Faith, and will result in a future fixed lifetime income for you after you reach the age of 60. For more specific information please access the brochure here or on our website in the planned giving section or contact Beverly Abercrombie at (847)733-3495 or babercrombie@usbnc.org. Please note: Annuities are not offered in the states of Alabama, New Jersey and Washington at this time.