How My RMD Became a Meaningful Gift to Israel

At 82, I wanted my giving to do more than check a box. I care deeply about supporting the land and people of Israel, and I wanted the money I was required to withdraw from my IRA each year to serve a real purpose. Instead, my Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) had become a nuisance—raising my taxable income and forcing out money I did not need.

Then I received a postcard from Jewish National Fund about ways to use an IRA for charitable giving. Normally, that kind of mail would go straight onto a pile on the kitchen counter, but something about it caught my attention. I picked up the phone and called the Planned Giving director, half expecting a polite conversation and little more.

Instead, I found myself leaning forward as she explained that I could use up to $55,000 from my RMD to fund a charitable gift annuity and support Israel. “Wow,” I said. “So I can use part of my RMD, avoid paying income tax on that amount, support Israel—and receive high-interest fixed payments of 8.5% for the rest of my life?”

That was my Planned Giving “Aha!” moment. At my age, certainty matters. Knowing the payments would be steady, predictable, and aligned with my values felt powerful.

For years, my RMD felt like an obligation. In that moment, it became a choice. A charitable gift annuity didn’t just solve a tax problem—it turned an annual transaction into a meaningful way to give.

I hung up the phone smiling, wondering why I hadn’t learned about this sooner.

To learn more or to receive a complimentary personalized, detailed illustration, please contact our Jewish National Fund Planned Giving Specialists at 800.562.7526 or plannedgiving@jnf.org