Charitable lead trusts
Enhance your giving strategy by providing immediate support to our cause, while safeguarding assets for your loved ones later.
Photograph by Henrik Kam. © Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
About charitable lead trusts
A charitable lead trust is a type of trust that allows you to make a charitable gift while retaining some control over the assets during your lifetime.
This type of trust makes annual payments to a charity for a set number of years, after which the remaining assets are distributed to non-charitable beneficiaries that you choose (many people choose their family members).
Benefits
- Receive an immediate income tax deduction for the value of your contributions.
- Retain some control over the assets donated.
- Provide for your family’s financial security.
- Create a lasting legacy that supports our mission.
How it works
- Create a trust and fund it with assets, such as cash, securities, or real estate.
- The trust makes annual payments to us for a set number of years, based on a predetermined formula or percentage of the trust assets.
- At the end of the charitable period, the remaining assets are distributed to non-charitable beneficiaries, chosen by you, such as your family members.
- Receive an immediate tax deduction for the present value of the charitable payments made by the trust.
We recommend consulting with a qualified estate planning attorney and a financial advisor to determine if this option is right for you.
Already included us in your estate plans?
Letting us know is incredibly helpful to our team and helps make sure your gift is used how you want it to be.
Have questions? Get in touch!
Our team is happy to speak with you about your giving goals, confidentially and with no obligation.Name:
Contact us through this form or at plannedgiving@famsf.org.
More ways to make an impact
Gifts for the future
Donations in your will or trust are the most popular type of legacy gift, while gifting assets not covered by your will, like 401(k) or IRA accounts, may help your heirs avoid unwanted taxes.
Gifts that pay you back
Transfer securities, cash, or other property to the Museums and we’ll manage the investment of the assets and pay an income to you, your designated beneficiaries, or both. Receive payments for the rest of your life or up to a certain number of years.
Tax-smart gifts
Many people are increasingly choosing to give non-cash assets, so they can have a bigger impact at less cost to them.