If you are 70½ or older, you may be able to donate money from your IRA directly to a charity–without having to pay income tax on the amount you give.
Making this kind of donation is called a “qualified charitable distribution.” You can make a qualified charitable distribution only from an IRA, not other kinds of retirement accounts. There is an annual donation limit of $100,000.
If you’re interested in this way of giving, talk to a financial adviser to find out whether or not it is available to you and is a good fit with your financial and charitable goals.