Skip To Content

Qualified Charitable Deducations

Qualified Charitable Distributions/Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts

A "qualified charitable distribution" (QCD) is a tax-free donation made directly from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a qualified charity.

How It Works

  • You must be 70.5 or older at the time of the gift.
  • Distributions must be made directly from a traditional IRA account by your IRA administrator.
  • Gifts must be outright and go directly to the Optica Foundation. Distributions to donor-advised funds or life-income arrangements such as charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities do not qualify.
  • Gifts from 401(k), 403(b), SEP, and other plans do not qualify.
  • Ask your financial advisor if it would make sense for you to create a traditional IRA account so you can benefit from an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution.
  • Inform us of any designations by contacting Foundation@optica.org or Kristen Wesley. Deputy Senior Director, Development, at +1.202.416.1441.

Benefits

  • Qualified Charitable Distributions/Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes on your IRS Form 1040.
  • The gift counts toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year in which you made the gift, and could help lower your tax bracket.
Image for keeping the session alive