Giving with Intention

Like many of us, Edgewater resident Mary Kathryn Alter, Ph.D., never gave hospice much thought. But when her husband Philip’s neurological illness became more difficult, she quickly learned the value of hospice care. “His pain was worsening,” she remembers. “He was not going to get better; we knew that.

“The hospital was noisy and intrusive. Philip wanted to be at peace and not in a hospital. His doctor suggested hospice.”

At Hospice of the Chesapeake, Philip received medication for comfort and remained alert. “He knew where he was, he talked to us and he was comfortable,” she said. At the inpatient unit, Philip looked out at trees and plantings. “It was quiet, restful – exactly what he wanted.”

A few years after her husband’s December 2017 passing, Mary honored the care her husband received with a gift. “I wanted to make sure others had the peaceful, comforting support Philip and our family received,” she says. Retired after a career as a math lecturer and administrator at the University of Maryland College Park, Mary also sought to ensure the gift fit into her philanthropic planning.

That’s why she was happy to learn about using a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). A QCD is a distribution of funds from an IRA (other than a SEP or simple IRA) directly to a qualified charitable organization, such as Hospice of the Chesapeake. Because the gift goes directly to the charity without passing through the IRA owner’s hands, the dollar amount of the gift may be excluded from taxable income, with some exceptions.

“A QCD allows me to donate from my IRA directly without ever receiving it as income,” she says. “That means I can give the full amount rather than what's left after income tax due on the funds taken out. I maximize my donation and give more to causes I care about than if I wrote a check.”

Mary sees the advantages of a QCD. “You can make a donation and get a big bang for it,” she says. “I’m taking out required funds from my IRA, and I’m able to give more.

“I’ll never forget how much Hospice of the Chesapeake did for us. Now, my gift helps others.”