The full effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on charitable giving is not yet entirely clear, but Carnegie Mellon is optimistic our supporters will continue to enjoy robust tax benefits from their giving. While the act may impact some of the benefits of income tax charitable deductions for certain donors, ways to make gifts to CMU with beneficial tax implications remain, including:

• Gifts of appreciated publicly-traded securities: Avoid capital gains tax by making a gift of appreciated assets owned for at least one year.

• Gifts using the IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD): If you are over age 70 1/2, make a direct transfer to CMU from your traditional IRA. It is not taxable and counts toward your required minimum distribution.

• Larger gifts to CMU: In combination with other deductions, a larger charitable gift may allow you to itemize, resulting in greater tax savings.

Check with your advisor to understand how the new law will affect your individual tax situation. Contact the Office of Gift Planning at askjoebull@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-5346 for more information.