Funny thing about trusts: You can set them up so you retain ownership and control until you die. So sure, giving it away, but in the future. I could also be petty later, dissolve the trusts and sell-off the land, though with the rest of the money coming from the Genie, I should never come close to needing to do that.
No, I think you are confusing the two kinds of trusts: a revocable trust means you still own the money or property, an irrevocable trust means you don’t own it anymore. Either you “give it away” in an irrevocable trust (which can’t be “dissolved”), or you don’t give it away (in a revocable trust).
You are describing putting something in a revocable trust, which is not spending it or giving it away. It’s closer to just putting a label on it: “this money is for charity”. You don’t get a tax deduction unless you put the money in a irrevocable charitable trust or the charity actually receives the money (from any source, trust, whatever).
Who said anything about setting up a tax deduction? I’m setting up an indirect benefit to others that counts as an illiquid asset. It’s not an investment since its purpose isn’t profit, and its not charitable since I remain in control.
Pay attention to the genie’s criteria, and realize: for anyone actually trying to do some good, the IRS criteria might as well be so capricious and arbitrary. With that kind of money and a lot of these organizations, I would rather donate it directly, yes, but there are also plenty of organizations and causes where more money in the pot means more CEO and middleman pay. That, and the IRS, don’t have to count as a valid reason to withhold a single penny for someone that’s supposedly capable enough to have any business managing such a large amount.
That’s giving the money away. Either you are still controlling the trusts, or you gave the money to the trusts.
Funny thing about trusts: You can set them up so you retain ownership and control until you die. So sure, giving it away, but in the future. I could also be petty later, dissolve the trusts and sell-off the land, though with the rest of the money coming from the Genie, I should never come close to needing to do that.
No, I think you are confusing the two kinds of trusts: a revocable trust means you still own the money or property, an irrevocable trust means you don’t own it anymore. Either you “give it away” in an irrevocable trust (which can’t be “dissolved”), or you don’t give it away (in a revocable trust).
You are describing putting something in a revocable trust, which is not spending it or giving it away. It’s closer to just putting a label on it: “this money is for charity”. You don’t get a tax deduction unless you put the money in a irrevocable charitable trust or the charity actually receives the money (from any source, trust, whatever).
Who said anything about setting up a tax deduction? I’m setting up an indirect benefit to others that counts as an illiquid asset. It’s not an investment since its purpose isn’t profit, and its not charitable since I remain in control.
Pay attention to the genie’s criteria, and realize: for anyone actually trying to do some good, the IRS criteria might as well be so capricious and arbitrary. With that kind of money and a lot of these organizations, I would rather donate it directly, yes, but there are also plenty of organizations and causes where more money in the pot means more CEO and middleman pay. That, and the IRS, don’t have to count as a valid reason to withhold a single penny for someone that’s supposedly capable enough to have any business managing such a large amount.