The recently enacted 2010 Tax Relief Act extended the direct IRA transfer to charity rules through the end of 2011 for taxpayers who are age 70 ½ or older. It allows these taxpayers to request their IRA administrators make distributions directly to their favorite charities. Donors can transfer IRA assets of up to $100,000 per tax year directly to charitable organizations, including RMRP—so please donate now for the 2010 tax year and then again for the 2011 tax year. The direct contribution from the IRA can be made with zero tax consequences and is counted toward the donor's required minimum distribution.

GuideStar.org provided detailed information about this special tax allowance. According to GuideStar, for a charitable gift made from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) not to be taxed as income, the following must be true:

• The gift was made in 2010 or 2011;
• the IRA holder is age 70½ or older;
• the gift totals $100,000 or less each year;
• the charity that received the gift is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions [NOTE: RMRP is eligible];
• the charity is not a section 509(a)(3) supporting organization; and
• the withdrawal goes directly from the IRA to the charity.

The donor does not need to itemize his or her taxes to benefit from the distribution. If the donor does itemize, however, he or she cannot also take the distribution as a deduction.

Talk to your IRA administrator and your financial advisor to learn about this opportunity to make a charitable donation directly to RMRP, which is a qualifying charitable organization (RMRP is a 501(C)3 nonprofit). Also, ask your financial advisor about possible State Tax benefits. Take action now to help RMRP and gain this tax advantage!

(Information from Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, Heart of the Rockies Church, and GuideStar.org)

Give a gift to the raptors, and get money back!! The RMRP is an Enterprise Zone project
– this means that 25% of your gift to RMRP will be returned to you by the State of
Colorado as a tax credit. Your gift is also eligible for Federal and State Tax Deductions
– this means that you can get more than 40% of your gift returned to you. For more
information, click here.