As more people seek meaningful ways to give back, it’s important to know that charitable giving can also be financially savvy. If you’re 70½ or older and have a traditional IRA, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) allows you to support causes you care about and enjoy tax benefits.
What Is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)?
A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a qualified nonprofit, like the Carbon County Community Foundation. For individuals age 70½ or older, it’s a powerful tool that allows you to give up to $108,000 in 2025 tax-free, and up to $216,000 for married couples who file jointly.
Even better—if you’re 73 or older and required to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), a QCD can satisfy part or all of that obligation. This means you can meet IRS requirements and make a lasting impact in your community.
Whether you’re passionate about education, economic opportunity, or protecting the environment, a QCD allows you to turn your retirement savings into a force for good. By giving through your IRA, you can make a difference in your community today—and reduce your taxable income in the process.
Using a QCD Through the Carbon County Community Foundation
When you give through a QCD to the Carbon County Community Foundation, your options for making a difference are flexible and meaningful:
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- Support an existing fund:
- Make a gift to one or more of our established funds, like the Fund for Carbon County, which addresses the most pressing needs and promising opportunities in our region.
- Establish your own legacy:
- Scholarship Fund: Help students achieve their educational dreams.
- Designated Fund: Support a specific nonprofit organization you care about, year after year.
- Field-of-Interest Fund: Focus your giving on a cause or issue close to your heart—such as youth programs, senior services, or environmental conservation.
- Support an existing fund:
*Please note: While QCDs can support many types of funds at the Community Foundation, they cannot be used to contribute to donor-advised funds (DAFs), private foundations, or supporting organizations under IRS rules.
Why Consider a QCD?
Tax Savings: A QCD is excluded from your taxable income, which can lower your tax bill—especially useful if you don’t itemize deductions.
Support Local Causes: Your gift can benefit funds at the community foundation that support education, health, the arts, the environment, or other causes close to your heart.
Make an Immediate Impact: Your QCD gift can be put to work right away, addressing current needs in your community.
How It Works
1. Contact your IRA administrator: Request that they make a direct transfer from your IRA to the Carbon County Community Foundation.
2. Let us know: Contact us so we can watch for your gift and direct it to the fund or cause you’ve chosen.
3. Receive confirmation: We’ll provide a gift acknowledgment for your records.
We’re Here to Help
If you’re considering a QCD gift, we’re happy to help you navigate the process and ensure your generosity makes the greatest impact. Contact us to learn more about giving through your IRA.
*Everyone’s financial situation is different, so be sure to consult your tax advisor to see how a QCD could work for you.