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ACGA Lowers Immediate and Deferred Gift Annuity Rates
(5/6/08)
The American Council on Gift Annuities has approved a
new, lower schedule of gift annuity rates for immediate
gift annuities, effective on July 1, 2008. In addition,
deferred gift annuity rates will also be lower. For
information about the new rates, visit the ACGA web site
at
www.acga-web.org.
New NCPG Research Investigates Gift Planners' Programs
and Priorities
(4/22/08)
NCPG invites members and others in the gift planning
community to participate in two research projects.
 NCPG Survey on Real Estate Gifts collects nonprofit
planners’ experience and attitudes related to charitable
gifts of real estate assets. We are seeking responses
from all organizations, ranging from those with active
programs for cultivating real estate gifts, to those
that seldom if ever receive these assets. Results of the
survey will be analyzed in a special issue of The
Journal of Gift Planning focused on real estate gifts.
The questionnaire includes 29 multiple choice questions,
and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. To
access the web-based survey, click
here.
NCPG Survey of Priorities for Legislative Advocacy
collects gift planners’ opinions about the most
important legislative issues and challenges facing
nonprofit organizations and donors involved in
charitable planned giving. Data from this survey will
assist the NCPG Board of Directors in planning an agenda
for government relations. The questionnaire includes
only 5 questions. To access the web-based survey, click
here.
These surveys will be open for a limited time. Please
respond as soon as possible! If you have questions about
any of NCPG’s survey projects, contact Barbara Yeager at
byeager@ncpg.org.
Baucus, Grassley Introduce Two-Year IRA
Charitable Rollover Extension
(4/17/08)
Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA),
Chairman and Ranking Member of the Finance Committee,
respectively, today (April 17) introduced major
legislation, which extends a number of tax
provisions―including the IRA Charitable Rollover―through
December 31, 2009 and increases the alternative minimum
tax (AMT) exemption for 2008. The “extender” portion of
this legislation is expected to cost approximately $50
billion and will, upon passage, likely be off-set in
order to comply with Pay-As-You-Go (“PAY-Go”) budget
rules. A bill number for the legislation is forthcoming.
Chairman Baucus has indicated he intends to hold a
markup in the Finance Committee in the next few weeks,
and the legislation could reach the Senate floor before
Memorial Day. NCPG will share additional information as
it becomes available.
The Baucus-Grassley legislation also contains a number
of additional charitable provisions. Click
here to read a summary of the key charitable
provisions.
Major Redesign of Form 5227; NCPG Expresses Concern
(3/31/08)
In response to changes brought about by The Pension
Protection Act of 2006, the IRS has issued a
substantially
revised Form 5227, Split-Interest Trust Information
Return, for reporting by charitable remainder trusts,
pooled income funds, and charitable lead trusts for the
2007 tax year.
NCPG has issued a
letter to the Internal Revenue Service regarding the revision to make form 5227 available for
public inspection. There is concern among trustees of
CRTs, particularly charities, that donors’ privacy will
become an issue once these forms are filed.
NCPG encourages members to contact the IRS with any
concerns regarding Form 5227. Click
here for more information.
2008 NCPG Leadership Assembly: Calling All Council
Leaders
(3/19/08)
The 2008 NCPG Leadership Assembly (formerly known as the
Assembly of Delegates) is taking place June 18-20 in
Indianapolis, Indiana, at the
Marriott Indianapolis
Downtown. The NCPG Leadership Assembly will bring more
than 100 council leaders from across the country
together to discuss council programming and management,
make valuable networking and mentoring contacts, and
optimize your council's voice in NCPG activities. The
event is for current and future council leaders. To
register, visit the
Council Leadership Resources
Section of this web site.
You will need your council ID# and password. If you
cannot find that information, call the NCPG office at
(317) 269-6274.
Senate Signals Support for
Expanding IRA Rollover to Include Life-Income Gifts
(3/14/08)
The Senate approved its fiscal year 2009 budget
resolution (S. Con. Res. 70). The resolution includes
language that calls on Congress to reinstate the IRA
Charitable Rollover, which expired on December 31,
2007, and expand the provision to allow for
life-income agreements, including charitable gift
annuities, charitable remainder trusts and pooled income
funds. This language was added to the budget resolution
by an amendment from Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and was
co-sponsored by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). The amendment was agreed to in
the Senate by unanimous consent.
The language
added to the budget resolution by the Dorgan amendment
is a significant development in NCPG’s efforts to
retro-actively extend the IRA Charitable Rollover and
expand it to include life-income gifts. In particular,
the Dorgan amendment is recognition of the role that
planned giving can play in encouraging philanthropy by
all Americans.
The
budget resolution is a non-binding document that sets
aggregate spending and revenue targets for the fiscal
year beginning October 1, 2008 and outlines broad policy
goals.
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