Designing the Charitable Remainder Trust for Uncertain TimesDesigning the Charitable Remainder Trust for Uncertain Times

The last several months of political tumult and financial market volatility can discourage even the most philanthropically inclined from making substantial outright gifts. Headlines blaring the worst December for the stock market since the Great Depression¹ made anyone think twice about the timing of their philanthropy.

Recently issued Private Letter Ruling 201845014 (Nov. 9, 2018) reminds the gift planner of how the charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) and charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) can be designed for the payment to charity of some of a trust’s value while the donor retains a right to the designation of  future charitable distributions. This provision merits serious study for charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) being creat...