Charitable lead trust (CLT) gifts can provide you with the satisfaction of giving a cash donation to WPC and seeing the benefits of the gift during your lifetime.

In establishing a charitable lead trust, you irrevocably transfer cash or securities to the trust. The CLT then pays an income from the trust assets, usually for a term of years, to the charity of your choice – the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. At the end of the trust term, the remaining funds in the trust and any monetary growth are passed to you or your heirs at a reduced tax cost.

Two major variations of charitable lead trusts exist: the charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) and the charitable lead unitrust (CLUT). The CLAT pays a fixed dollar amount to the designated charity for a term of years while the CLUT pays a fixed percentage of the value, reevaluated annually, to the charity also for a term of years.

Unlike a charitable gift annuity, which can be established with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy with a minimum gift of $10,000, a charitable lead trust is established with an outside trust administrator and the donor is responsible for the administrative fees associated with this trust vehicle. Typically, the threshold to create a charitable lead trust is $100,000 or more.

Note that other variations in charitable lead trusts will effect how the trust operates. Please consult with your financial advisor to determine the charitable lead trust option that is right for your personal situation.

For more information, call 412-586-2336 or e-mail the Development department at development@paconserve.org.