With a Charitable Gift Annuity, in exchange for a gift of cash or property, a charity agrees to make fixed payments for life. This benefits donors who want to make a gift to charity, but need regular payments to supplement their income. The charity benefits through the receipt of the cash or property. By entering into a CGA agreement, the donor receives fixed payments to one or more individuals for life, a portion of each gift annuity payment is tax-free, the annual gift annuity payouts are based on the donor’s age (rates are higher for older donors), and the donor receives a current federal income tax deduction. CGAs especially help older donors who desire fixed payments for life. CGAs are also attractive to donors with cash or appreciated property that produce little or no income. In a CGA, payments are not dependent upon the charity’s rate of return. Instead, they are based on a rate schedule. Many charities use a rate schedule set by the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA). Under the ACGA’s schedule, the older a person receiving gift annuity payments, the higher the rate. A CGA contract can begin making payments immediately (“current gift annuity”), or defer payments for at least one year (“deferred gift annuity”).