Tax-wise Giving

Your gifts to Osprey Wilds help us connect people of all ages and communities with nature and strengthen their commitment to its care. That is why you give. You might also want to consider how, when, and what you give. Following are some ways to make your generosity more fruitful, both for the causes you care about and for you and your family.

Charitable Deductions

The OBBB, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in July 2025 will bring significant changes to tax law affecting charitable deductions.

Beginning in 2026, non-itemizers who have made cash gifts to recognized charities will be able to take a charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples. No federal charitable deduction will be available in 2025 for the 90 percent of American taxpayers who take the standard deduction. However, if you live in Minnesota and don’t itemize, you can take a deduction on your state return for 50% of total charitable contributions over $500.
The new deduction is intended to encourage charitable giving among lower and middle income donors. Wealthier individuals, on the other hand, will see the tax benefits of giving curtailed beginning in 2026. All itemizers will be subject to a 0.5% of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) floor on charitable deductions. The wealthiest donors will see a cap on the tax benefit of itemized deductions at 35%, down from the current 37% top tax bracket rate.

The new rules could make gift bunching a more attractive option for itemizers, as they combine two or three years of charitable giving into a single year to surpass the itemization threshold. One way to implement that strategy is to create a donor-advised fund (DAF), a dedicated account for charitable giving. You can claim a tax deduction in the year you contribute to your DAF, then recommend grants over time to any IRS-qualified charity, while the funds grow tax-free.

Giving from Investment Accounts

If you’re over 70 ½, a qualified charitable contribution (QCD) from an IRA could be the most cost-effective way for you to give. Once you reach 70½, you and your spouse can each arrange for transfers directly from your IRA to a qualified charity such as Osprey Wilds, without paying income tax on the withdrawal. Transfers can be as much as $100,000, and inflation indexing began taking effect in 2024.  This gift option provides tax savings to donors even if they do not itemize deductions. Instead of taking a charitable income tax deduction for the gift, you can exclude the distribution from your income.

Since 2006, IRA owners 70½ or older have been able to make QCDs offsetting their Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Though the age at which RMDs must begin has been raised to 72 or 73, depending on the year of birth, IRA owners can begin at 70½ giving tax-free dollars while reducing future RMD amounts and tax liability.

The QCD has also been expanded to allow planned gifts. Individuals may make a one-time transfer of up to $50,000, couples up to $100,000, to fund a charitable trust or charitable gift annuity. 

Donating appreciated stock or other assets remains a cost-effective giving option. If you donate long-term appreciated assets—including stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, or real estate— you generally won’t have to pay capital gains, and you can take an income tax deduction for the full fair-market value of the gift, up to the legal limits in effect at the time.

Planned and Estate Gifts

More than 98 percent of estates are exempt from estate taxes, but if you intend to include your favorite causes in your planned giving, tax considerations can be important, regardless of the size of your estate.

While very few people are subject to estate and gift taxes, we all continue to be subject to income tax. Many people who don’t benefit from a charitable estate-tax deduction might benefit from income-tax planning. Tools such as charitable gift annuities and trusts can provide an immediate tax deduction, an income stream for you or your heirs, and a meaningful legacy gift for the causes you support. When including charities among your beneficiaries in a will or trust, tax-wise allocation of assets could mean more funds for both the charities and your heirs. 

These are just a couple of ways that tax-advantaged planned giving can maximize your charitable impact. It’s a good idea to consult with your financial or legal advisors to explore what could work best for you based on your specific circumstances. In addition, Osprey Wilds’ partnership with the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation makes confidential, no-obligation planned giving expertise available to you at no cost.

For more information, contact Development Director Jim DeYoung, 320-245-7791 or deyoung@ospreywilds.org.