Skip to main content

Part 1 of 3 (see Part 2 here)

At a time when our water faces unprecedented threats – extreme cuts, rollbacks and blatant giveaways to big polluters – we hear from many Clean Water Action members who want to be able to do more.

You care about clean water and want to see it protected, now and for future generations, for our children, grandchildren and those who will come after. You want to do more to help fight back and restore hope for our Clean Water Future. There is an important and relatively new incentive for charitable giving that could help you or someone you know access significantly increased giving capacity.

Our new IRA donation tool makes it much easier to arrange tax-deductible gifts direct from your qualified retirement account to Clean Water Fund. The potential tax benefits are so attractive that many of our donors find they are able to double, triple or in some cases increase their giving tenfold or more. It’s easy to access with this link.

You may already have heard something about IRA donations. Here are the basics about how IRA donations work and why this could be a great solution for you or someone you know.

  • If you have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), when you turn 70 ½ you must start making annual withdrawals. Then, when you do, you’re taxed. If you don’t, there’s a big tax penalty.
  • If, instead, you make a donation(s) direct from your IRA to a qualified 501-c-3 nonprofit like Clean Water Fund (up to $100,000 per year), you can avoid those tax costs. This savings opportunity is available whether or not you itemize on your federal tax return, which makes it easier for more people to benefit.
  • This is a Win-Win-Win solution that is well worth investigating. Use our IRA donation guide to see what’s involved and get the process started.

I’m really glad we’re able to make this practical information available to members like you. We welcome your feedback, and we encourage you to share this information or the easy-to-remember link (www.cleanwater.org/IRA) with others you think might be interested (parents, grandparents, other family, friends).

Does this type of donation make sense for you? Are you eligible? What are the tax implications for you, specifically? We encourage you to consult with appropriate financial or legal counsel. Our IRA donation guide can help make that process easier for you.

We’d love to hear from you with your feedback. Also, please let us know if you are sending an IRA gift to Clean Water Fund without using the tool, so that we can thank you for your donation and make sure it’s deposited in time (your gift must be received and deposited by 12/31 to count for this year). Contact me directly, development@cleanwater.org

States/Regions