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Why Give from Your IRA?
"Giving through my IRA is an easy way to support the important work of United Way of Santa Barbara County. Plus it reduces my taxable income and it counts towards my annual RMD."
– Local donor, Susan
Search IRA Rollover Custodians:
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Notify us of your IRA charitable rollover
If you check the box in this area, a module will open where you can enter your name and email to notify us of your IRA Rollover gift.
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Thank you for considering an IRA charitable rollover gift to us. The website link will take you to your IRA custodian's website, where you may be able to log in and make a gift to United Way of Santa Barbara County. Another option is to use the phone number to call your IRA custodian. They will assist you in making an IRA charitable rollover gift. If you would like to notify us of your generous IRA charitable rollover, please complete the Notify us of your IRA charitable rollover section. Please note this is a time sensitive transaction. If the IRA charitable rollover is intended to satisfy your required minimum distribution for the current year, verify with your custodian that this transaction will be completed prior to December 31. If the transaction is not completed prior to December 31, you may be subject to penalties if you have not satisfied your required minimum distribution. |
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| Thank you for considering a IRA gift to us. A sample letter is available to send to your DAF provider. You may save and print the PDF of your letter. If you have email contact information for your DAF provider, you may send a PDF copy of your DAF letter or you may copy and paste the text into an email. You will need to enter the amount of your recommended grant and your DAF account number on the letter before mailing. If you would like to notify us of your generous gift, please complete the Notify us of your DAF Gift section. | ||||||
How It Works
IRA owners, age 70½ and older, can make a charitable gift from their IRA to public charities. As of 2026, up to $111,000 per year may be donated tax-free. The amount donated is excluded from your taxable income. You are not required to itemize to do this.
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May satisfy your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) up to the amount of the gift |
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Reduce your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions, because it allows you to give from pre-tax assets and your distribution is excluded from taxable income |
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May prevent you from being pushed into a higher tax bracket or higher Medicare Part B or Part D premium bracket because the gift reduces your taxable income. |
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Helps avoid limits on charitable deductions |
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Minimizes the effect your giving has on your cash flow because the gift is from your assets (your IRA), not your check book |
If you are at least 70½, you can make annual charitable gifts through your IRA. At your direction, your IRA custodian will transfer the gift you designate directly from your IRA to a qualified charity. This is known as a Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD.
IRA Beneficiary Designation Gifts are Simple, Tax-Smart & Affordable. If you want to make a gift to United Way, but are also concerned about your current and future needs, consider an IRA beneficiary designation gift - a gift that comes later. This is a simple, tax-smart and flexible way to give. Talk to your financial advisor about using your traditional IRA to make a future gift to United Way by naming United Way of Santa Barbara County as a beneficiary. This type of account is taxed when given to loved ones, but is not taxed when given to a charity. Talk to your advisor about giving gifts to loved ones using other assets.
How an IRA beneficiary designation gift works:Continue to use your IRA as an income source:
Your IRA is primarily an income source for you as you age. You will continue to take distributions from your IRA annually. You may spend the entire value of your IRA during your life-time, or there may be something left to distribute after you pass.
IRA beneficiary designations do not belong in wills or trusts:
It is very important to understand that beneficiary designations are NOT part of your will or trust . Your IRA administrator will not be influenced by what anything in your will or trust, what your spouse or kids say, or what your trustee says. The most recent IRA beneficiary designation form signed and submitted determines who will inherit your IRA, so it is very important to make sure this designation is up-to-date.
Keep a copy of your beneficiary designations:
It is also important that you keep a copy of your designation with your important papers, so that years from now, you have a record of your designation. Often times, if you request information about your beneficiaries from your IRA company, they will not share that with you, but will instead ask you re-submit the beneficiaries. So keeping a copy can save you some extra work.
Naming multiple and backup beneficiaries:
You can name United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) as a "full" or "partial" beneficiary of your IRA. For example, you could donate 70% to one beneficiary and 30% to another. You can also name UWSBC as a "contingent" beneficiary?a backup plan?in case the primary beneficiary is unable or unwilling to accept the gift. This could happen if the primary beneficiary dies, cannot be found or refuses the gift.
Contact Us – We are happy to walk you through the process – no pressure, just helpful information!
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