Gift Trusts VEDA members planning big donations to charity might want to consider the two-tier benefits of a gift trust based on pooled income funds. The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust, administered by Eaton Vance Management, and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, administered by Fidelity Investments, offer ways to support charities such as VEDA far into the future while providing immediate benefits to the individual donors. Though not identical in every respect, these trusts accept donations of cash, stocks, bonds, and other assets from many individuals. They pool the donations, invest them, and make grants to charities.
Donors can give to a pooled income trust at times they find convenient.
A gift from a donor to the trust provides a tax break for the donor in the year of the donation. The trust invests the gift. The principal remains in the trust, to be used for charity. Donors recommend specific charities such as VEDA to receive grants from the trust over time. The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust offers choices about contributions, asset allocations, account names, grant recommendations, and donor advisors.