A Tax-Smart Way to Support Urban Sketchers (available to donors with U.S. IRAs.)

By making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you help sustain the global sketching community and enjoy valuable tax benefits.

Giving to USk Using Your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

Who Can Do This (and What It Is)

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a special gift to Urban Sketchers straight from your IRA, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), and it’s not taxable.
If you’re 73+, your QCD can also count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), helping lower your taxable income for 2025.
Eligible accounts: traditional IRA, inherited IRA, or inactive SEP/SIMPLE IRA.
(Not allowed: active employer plans like 401(k)s or 403(b)s.)
You can give up to $108,000 per person in 2025.

Why Use a QCD (the tax-friendly secret)

A QCD can lower your taxes while doing good.

• 70½+: your QCD is not taxable.

• 73+: your QCD can reduce your reported income, lowering taxes overall.

   

Timing Matters (don’t wait till December)

Your QCD must be completed by December 31, 2025.
Start early so your IRA provider has time to process everything.

How It Works (step-by-step)

• Contact your IRA provider (Vanguard, Schwab, Fidelity, etc.) and ask about making a Qualified Charitable Distribution

• Complete their form

• They must send the contribution directly to Urban Sketchers

• If they prefer sending funds electronically, reach out to treasurer@urbansketchers.org

• Send by post to Urban Sketchers, 248 3rd Street, Box 428, Oakland, CA 94607, USA

What You’ll Receive (for tax time)

Urban Sketchers will send you an acknowledgment letter for your records.

Want to read more? 

IRS QCD update for 2024:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/give-more-tax-free-eligible-ira-owners-can-donate-up-to-105000-to-charity-in-2024

IRS publications for deeper reading:

• Pub 526: Charitable Contributions

• Pub 590-B: Distributions from IRAs