What's  -- links to law and politics relevant to Philanthropy

After at least a half-decade of false starts in Congress, a version of the IRA rollover legislation finally passed in August 2006 and lasted until the end of 2007. We had hoped for a renewal, but it did not immediately happen.

On May 21, 2008, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 6049, the Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008, which would extend the IRA Charitable Rollover, as included in the Pension Protection Act of 2006, through December 31, 2008. The legislation, which costs about $55.5 billion is completely off-set in order to comply with “Pay-As-You-Go” budget rules.

In the Senate, S. 2886 would extend the IRA Charitable Rollover for two years. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the Finance Committee, has indicated his committee will mark-up this legislation at some point in June. There is disagreement in the Senate, however, over whether the tax “extenders” should be off-set or not, and this issue may complicate passage in the Senate and/or conference with the House.

Both H.R. 6049 and S. 2886 also contain several other charitable provisions in addition to the IRA Charitable Rollover extension. Stay tuned.

IRS Changes in IRA distribution rules (January 11, 2001) Note this is IRS regulatory law, and focuses on designation of post death beneficiaries of an IRA, not with the lifetime transfers of IRA assets to a charity. Donors with significant assets in retirement plans should closely investigate the value of designating retirement remainders to charity because of "the income in respect of decedent" issue.

Congressional

All sorts of information on  Congress -- House or Senate , find web pages and addresses of Congresspersons or Senators, and more

Direct link to a search page that lets you enter your state and zip and be taken to your Congressman's web page or mailing address.  The Senate has a "connect with your senator" search feature right on the first page you reach when you click "Senate" above.

The " Thomas" directory " -- site that tracks Legislation, Congressional Record, and Committees
 

Links to statutes by state , from the Legal Information Institute at Cornell

State statutes arranged by topic , also from Cornell

Drafts and final versions of Uniform Laws , from the NCCUSL (National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws)

Updated May 22, 2008