Planned Giving

If you’re 70½ or older and taking Required Minimum Distributions from an IRA, you can transfer distributions directly from your custodian to the PSPCA completely tax-free. An individual may transfer up to $100,000 per year, and a married couple may give up to $200,000. As long as you haven’t already taken your RMD for the year, this transfer counts toward your required distribution. Because the transfer is tax-free to begin with, there is no additional charitable deduction; the tax savings is the benefit. Gifts from other retirement vehicles like 401(k)s or 403(b)s won’t be tax-free but may entitle you to a charitable deduction.

For many in our community, making the PSPCA part of their estate plan is the easiest and most effective way to make their biggest charitable impact. You can include a gift in your will or trust, or simply name the PSPCA on a beneficiary designation form for a retirement account, life insurance policy, commercial annuity, brokerage account, or bank account—a process that’s usually very simple and can often be done online.

Sample bequest language for your will or trust: “I give and bequeath to The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a not-for-profit corporation, with principal offices presently located at 350 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, the sum of, or X% of my estate, to be used for its general purpose (or for a specific purpose as indicated).”

Appreciated assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate can be used to fund a charitable remainder trust—a strategy that lets you avoid capital gains tax, receive a federal income tax deduction, and generate income for yourself or others over time. By giving assets held for longer than one year that have appreciated in value, you save more in taxes than you would by giving cash or check. At the conclusion of the trust, your gift passes to the PSPCA to support our mission of promoting animal welfare across Pennsylvania. We’re always happy to provide a personalized illustration of these benefits for you to share with your tax advisor.

Many donors are surprised to learn that residential or commercial real estate can be used to make an incredible charitable impact at the PSPCA. By donating property, you can free yourself from the hassle of maintenance, taxes, and insurance while also avoiding capital gains tax. Property can be donated outright, by will, or (in the right circumstances) used to fund an annuity or trust that pays you and others an income for life.