Use Your IRA to Protect the Ocean and Receive Tax Benefits

Learn more about how a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can benefit you.

Take Your Next Steps

Explore the Benefits

How a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) Works

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You are at least 70½ years old with IRA funds you no longer need

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Make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA*

*If you are 72 years old or older, your QCD can count towards your required minimum distribution (RMD)!

Calculate Your RMD

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Your QCD goes directly to charity, supporting a cause you care about

Did You Know?

You can also support our work for years to come. Simply name Ocean Conservancy as a beneficiary of your IRA account, and the remaining assets (or a portion) of the account will be distributed to ensure a healthy ocean for future generations.

Information for Sample Beneficiary Designation

Legal name: Ocean Conservancy
Address: 1300 19th Street NW, 8th Floor, Washington D.C. 20036
Federal Tax ID number: 23-7245152

Discover the Benefits of a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

Reduce your taxable income

When you take funds from your IRA, they count as taxable income. But if you transfer them directly to charity, you reduce your taxable income while satisfying your RMD.

Fulfill your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

After you turn 72, you must distribute funds from your IRA. If you do not distribute the required minimum, you may be penalized, but a QCD allows a transfer up to $100,000 per individual or $200,000 per couple to satisfy your RMD.

Protect the Ocean

When you make a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA to Ocean Conservancy, you will help us ensure a healthy ocean.

Tax Law Disclaimer

The SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement), signed in December 2019, has tax, retirement, and estate planning implications for many people.

The SECURE Act raises the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age. If you turn 70 ½ on or after January 1, 2020, you can now wait until you are age 72 before you must take an RMD from your IRA.
You can still make a gift to Ocean Conservancy and other charities through a qualified charitable distribution starting at age 70 ½. However, if you make IRA contributions after age 70 ½, as allowed under the SECURE Act, the amount you have available for qualified charitable distributions is reduced. Please consult your tax or financial advisor to learn how this may impact you.
The SECURE Act repeals the maximum age for making IRA contributions. You can now contribute to your IRA even if you are over age 70 ½ (subject to annual limitations).
The SECURE Act decreases the time over which inherited IRAs may be distributed. Inherited IRAs must now be distributed completely within 10 years of the IRA owner’s death, unless the IRA beneficiary is the surviving spouse; disabled or chronically ill; less than 10 years younger than the owner; or the owner’s minor child. Under these rules, naming Ocean Conservancy as a beneficiary of your IRA while using other assets to benefit family members may be a tax-wise charitable planning decision.

Get More Information

The IRA charitable gift opportunity turned out to be the right vehicle for Julie and Don Dickinson. “We looked at it closely and read up on it,” says Don. “We were also told it was a good idea by a financial advisor.”

The Dickinsons transfer a portion of their required minimum distribution directly from their IRA to Ocean Conservancy. In this way, they avoid having to count the donated amount as income on their tax return. Julie and Don want to do all they can to help clean up the oceans and promote clean water worldwide. “We hope our gifts can help address problems like these.”

Find Out if a Qualified Charitable Distribution is Right For You

I was born before .	Yes	No
I have a qualified IRA.	Yes	No
I want to ensure a healthy ocean.	Yes	No

You’re qualified to make this type of gift!

Calculate Your RMD

take Your Next Steps

It looks like there are still some requirements that need to be met!

Other Ways to Make an Impact

Contact Us

Take Your Next Steps

1

Get started by selecting your IRA custodian and filling out your information below.
This information will be used to pre-fill your distribution form.

Select your IRA custodian:*
Please provide the name of your IRA custodian below:
First Name*
Last Name*
Full name*
Phone
Email*
*Please note that federal law does not permit making qualified charitable distributions to a donor-advised fund.

Because we value your privacy, we will not ask you for any sensitive information that is requested by your IRA custodian. You may fill those fields out once you download your form.
Organization name
Organization address (For Distribution Form Cover Letter)
Ocean Conservancy Attn: Thomas Perkins P.O. Box 96003 Washington, DC 20090-6003
Organization Address
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Ally Contact Info
Phone: 1-888-925-2559 Fax: 866-699-0563 Ally Investment Services P.O. Box 30248 Charlotte, NC 28230
Charles Schwab Contact Info
Phone: 1-855-435-4000 Fax: 1-888-526-7252 Mail (East): Charles Schwab & Co., Inc P.O. Box 628291 Orlando, FL 32862-8291 Mail (West): Charles Schwab & Co., Inc P.O. Box 982600 El Paso, TX 79998-2600 Overnight (East): Charles Schwab & Co., Inc 1958 Summit Park Dr., Suit 200 Orlando, FL 32810 Overnight (West): Charles Schwab & Co., Inc 1945 Northwestern Drive El Paso, TX 79912
Fidelity Charitable Contact Info
Phone: 1-800-343-3548 Mail: Attn: Retirement Distributions Fidelity Investments P.O. Box 770001 Cincinatti, OH 45277-0035 Overnight: Attn: Retirement Distributions Fidelity Investments 100 Crosby Parkway KC1B Covington, KY 41015
Merrill Lynch Contact Info
Phone: 1-800-637-7455 Fax: 866-557-2690 Mail: Merrill Lynch P.O. BOX 29002 Hot Springs, AR 71903-9002
T. Rowe Price Contact Info
Phone: 1-888-445-4226 T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. P.O. Box 17215 Baltimore, MD 21297-1215
TIAA Contact Info
Phone: 1-800-842-2252 Fax: 800-914-8922 Mail: TIAA P.O BOX 1280 Charlotte, NC 28201-1280 Overnight: TIAA 8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd Charlotte, NC 28262
Vanguard Contact Info
Phone: 1-800-528-4999 Mail: Vanguard P.O. Box 1100 Valley Forge, PA 19482-1100 Overnight: Vanguard 455 Devon Park Drive Wayne, PA 19087-1815
Morgan Stanley Contact Info
Mail: Morgan Stanley Funds c/o Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. P.O. Box 219804 Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 Overnight: Morgan Stanley Funds c/o Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. 430 West 7th Street Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

2

Once you have downloaded and completed the rest of your form, please mail the form to your IRA custodian.
We recommend mailing this by December 1 to ensure you receive your tax deduction for this year.

3

Please let us know about your generous gift!

We would like to thank you and ensure your gift goes to the program or department you desire.

I’ve made a QCD transfer

I’ve designated Ocean Conservancy
As a Beneficiary of my IRA

The content found on this site is general in nature and intended to be used for informational purposes only. It should not be relied upon as legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. To determine how a gift or estate planning decision might affect your particular circumstances, you should consult an attorney, financial advisor or other qualified professional.