Qualified charities for IRA distribution

Buz

Is there a list somewhere of charities that qualify for the IRA distribution or do you have to ask each charity if they qualify?

JMSSGV

From IRS Pub. 590-B:

Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).

 A QCD is generally a nontaxable distribution made directly by the trustee of your IRA (other than a SEP or SIMPLE IRA) to an organization eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. You must be at least age 70½ when the distribution was made. Also, you must have the same type of acknowledgment of your contribution that you would need to claim a deduction for a charitable contribution. See Substantiation Requirements in Pub. 526.

 The maximum annual exclusion for QCDs is $100,000. Any QCD in excess of the $100,000 exclusion limit is included in income as any other distribution. If you file a joint return, your spouse can also have a QCD and exclude up to $100,000. The amount of the QCD is limited to the amount of the distribution that would otherwise be included in income. If your IRA includes nondeductible contributions, the distribution is first considered to be paid out of otherwise taxable income.

Qualified organizations

You may deduct a charitable contribution made to, or for the use of, any of the following organizations that otherwise are qualified under section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code:

A state or United States possession (or political subdivision thereof), or the United States or the District of Columbia, if made exclusively for public purposes;

A community chest, corporation, trust, fund, or foundation, organized or created in the United States or its possessions, or under the laws of the United States, any state, the District of Columbia or any possession of the United States, and organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, or literary purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals;

A church, synagogue, or other religious organization;

A war veterans' organization or its post, auxiliary, trust, or foundation organized in the United States or its possessions;

A nonprofit volunteer fire company;

A civil defense organization created under federal, state, or local law (this includes unreimbursed expenses of civil defense volunteers that are directly connected with and solely attributable to their volunteer services);

A domestic fraternal society, operating under the lodge system, but only if the contribution is to be used exclusively for charitable purposes;

A nonprofit cemetery company if the funds are irrevocably dedicated to the perpetual care of the cemetery as a whole and not a particular lot or mausoleum crypt.

Any organization should be able to tell you (and prove to you) that they're qualified to receive deductible charitable contributions. And you will need to get a receipt or acknowledgement from them after the QCD is made.