Here’s a special way to support WCMU Public Media if you are required to take a distribution from your IRA.

Qualified Charitable Distributions or QCD (sometimes called IRA Charitable Rollovers) were first enacted as part of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and made permanent in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015. With a QCD you can make a gift directly from your IRA each year, without having those distributions included in your adjusted gross income (AGI).

Advantages to you:

You can use an often-overlooked asset to make a gift to WCMU Public Media.

You avoid recognizing taxable income on the distribution.

You can receive a tax benefit regardless of whether you itemize deductions or take the standard deduction on your income tax return.

The distribution can count toward your required minimum distribution for the year.

To qualify:

You must be 70.5 or older.

Distributions can only be made from traditional Individual Retirement Accounts or Roth IRAs. Charitable donations from 403(b) plans, 401(k) plans, pension plans, and other retirement plans are ineligible for the tax-free treatment. Distribution must be made directly from the IRA trustee payable to WCMU Public Media.

Your total combined charitable IRA rollover contributions are limited to $100,000 per year. (Married couples may be able to contribute up to $200,000.)

QCDs from an IRA must go directly to WCMU Public Media. Contributions to donor-advised funds and private foundations generally do not qualify for this special treatment.

You cannot receive any goods, services, or thank you gifts in exchange for your Qualified Charitable Distribution.

You must receive an acknowledgement from WCMU Public Media for each Qualified Charitable Distribution.

We do not provide any legal or tax advice and urge you to seek guidance from your accountant, attorney, or other independent professional advisor to determine how an IRA QCD might affect your tax situation.

To make a Qualified Charitable Distribution prior to calendar year-end, plan to contact your IRA administrator as soon as possible, as some administrators may place a deadline on requesting transfers. You will need our Tax ID number in order to complete this donation. Our Federal Tax ID is 38-6004447.

For more information about making a QCD contribution to WCMU Public Media, contact our membership team at membership@wcmu.org or call 800-727-9268.